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The Report

Gateway One

Text Quality & Complexity and Alignment to Standards Components

Meets Expectations

The instructional materials meet the expectations for Gateway 1. Texts students read and hear are of high quality and appropriately rigorous. Questions, tasks, and activities that students engage in as they read, write, speak, and demonstrate comprehension are focused on the texts themselves. Foundational skills instruction meets the expectations of the indicators.

Criterion 1a - 1f

Texts are worthy of students' time and attention: texts are of quality and are rigorous, meeting the text complexity criteria for each grade. Materials support students' advancing toward independent reading.

The instructional materials for Grade 3 fully meet the expectations of including rich and appropriately rigorous, high quality texts. Over the course of the year, materials support students' literacy development by providing access to high quality texts and reading experiences of depth and breadth.

Indicator 1a

Anchor texts are of publishable quality and worthy of especially careful reading and consider a range of student interests.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria for anchor texts being of publishable quality, worthy of especially careful reading, and consider a range of student interests. The included texts have been previously published and many are written by celebrated authors. Materials include: both fiction and non-fiction texts of varying lengths and topics, and texts that appeal to the interests of young readers.

Examples include:

Fudge-a-mania by Judy Blume, winner Young Reader Awards in seven states, is read in the first nine weeks during Shared Reading.

Soil by Christian Ditchfield, What is a Biome? by Bobbie Klaan and Ancient Greece by Sandra Newman have vibrant illustrations and rich content with academic vocabulary integrating literacy with science and social studies.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo, named to the 2007 National Education Association’s top 100 Books for Children, is read in the second nine weeks during shared reading.

One Hen by Katie Smith Milway,winner of various awards including Best Business Book Award, introduces young readers to the timely and relevant topics of micro-finance and social entrepreneurship.

The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco, a Carnegie Medal Honor Book, uses a narrative structure to teach young readers about family and tradition with classic and endearing illustrations that are used as a strategic text feature.

Indicator 1b

Materials reflect the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards at each grade level.

The materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria for materials reflecting the distribution of text types and genres required by the standards at each grade level. There are thirty-three texts included in the lesson plans. The ratio of fiction to nonfiction is an appropriate balance for the standards in this grade level.

Shared Reading includes five fiction and 11 non-fiction texts.

Examples of fiction texts read during Shared Reading are: Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo, Fudge-a-Mania by Judy Blume, and Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck.

Indicator 1c

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria for the appropriate level of text complexity for the grade according to quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and relationship to their associated student task.

According to the Teacher’s Manual, books selected for Shared Reading lessons are mostly within grade-level bands, and books selected for interactive read-alouds during the ELA lessons are generally above grade level. Texts have the appropriate level of complexity for the grade level, and when the selections are in the high end of the band, students are supported by teacher read-aloud, and scaffolding through predictable routines and teacher modeling. Though the Lexile measures do not build sequentially, throughout the year there are texts from the entire grade-level band.

Specific examples include:

In ELA, Weeks 3-4, students listen to Boy: Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl with a Lexile of 1090. The quantitative measure is high for the grade level. However, comprehension is supported by having students complete a timeline of events, by answering comprehension questions, and by completing written assignments.

In ELA, Weeks 12-13, students listen to American Tall Tales by Mary Pope Osborne with a Lexile of 970. This quantitative measure is high for the grade level, but the text is based on classic American Tall Tales (Davy Crockett, Paul Bunyan, and Johnny Appleseed). Students learn the structure and components of Tall Tales and how they relate to American History. Students write diary entries, paragraphs, and tall tales about the characters.

In Shared Reading, Weeks 31-32, students read Ancient Greece by Sandra Newman with a Lexile of 850, which is just beyond the stretch band for this grade level. However, there are text features such as a map to reinforce comprehension, and students work independently and with partners to discuss text and answer comprehension questions.

Indicator 1d

Materials support students' increasing literacy skills over the course of the school year. (Series of texts should be at a variety of complexity levels appropriate for the grade band.)

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria for materials supporting students’ increasing literacy skills over the course of the school year. (Series of texts should be at a variety of complexity levels appropriate for the grade band.)

In both English Language Arts and Shared Reading, the texts and tasks increase in complexity to develop independence of grade-level skills. Texts are in the appropriate grade-level Lexile band to help students build knowledge, understanding, and comprehension of texts over the school year. Texts within and outside of the grade band are supported by lessons that incorporate discussions, organizers, and anchor charts. In ELA, the questions, writing tasks, and expectation of student understanding and application of their knowledge grows in each unit.

For example:

Texts in the first nine weeks have Lexiles from 490-1090. An example in the first nine weeks in the ELA lesson is One Hen by Katie Smith Milway, which has an overall Lexile of 810. This text is taught over three days and introduces students to concepts of micro-finance and entrepreneurship. The teacher reads the text aloud, stopping often to check for understanding through questioning and using a story map.

Texts in the second nine weeks have Lexiles from 610-1030. An example in the second nine weeks in the ELA lesson is Maps and Globes by Jack Knowlton, which has an overall Lexile of 1030. This informational text is read over five days and introduces social studies concepts of using maps and globes. The teacher reads the book aloud while checking for student understanding using discussion questions and a semantic map.

Texts in the third nine weeks have Lexiles from 610- 1030. An example in the fourth nine weeks in the ELA lesson is When Mary Sang by Pam Munoz Ryan, which has overall Lexile of 780. This text is taught as a read-aloud over five days. The teacher scaffolds for comprehension by stopping often to check for understanding with whole group discussion questions and opportunities to complete a timeline.

Texts in the fourth nine weeks have Lexiles from 680- 850. An example in the fourth nine weeks in the ELA lesson is Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema, which does not have a Lexile measure. This book is a biography and is read over two days. The teacher reads aloud while scaffolding for student understanding, stopping often to ask discussion questions and allowing students to complete a story map.

Indicator 1e

Anchor texts and series of texts connected to them are accompanied by a text complexity analysis and rationale for purpose and placement in the grade level.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially meet the criteria that anchor texts and series of texts connected to them are accompanied by a text complexity analysis and rationale for purpose and placement in the grade level.

According to the publisher, reading and writing research informed the design of Bookworms. In the Teacher Manual Tab there is a section labeled Books, in which the publisher provides the rationale used to determine text complexity. The publisher states the program is calibrated to the Common Core Standards for text difficulty, but is different from a traditional commercial core due to the use of only complete books. An experienced group of teachers proposed the texts that were then reviewed for high-quality and likelihood to build knowledge and motivation. Quantitative measures target readability and qualitative measures target levels of meaning, language complexity, and knowledge demand. Lexile, with the revised grade bands, is used as the primary quantitative measure, with no attempt to consider other factors sometimes used in leveling, such as formatting and structure; however, text structures increase in complexity as the year goes on. For example, narratives with straight-forward structures and settings were chosen for the beginning of the year. Informational texts were interspersed in units related by theme and to support writing instruction. The band used for Grade 3 is 450-790.

Indicator 1f

Anchor text(s), including support materials, provide opportunities for students to engage in a range and volume of reading to achieve grade level reading.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria that anchor and supporting texts provide opportunities for students to engage in a broad range of text types and disciplines as well as a volume of reading to achieve grade-level reading proficiency.

The instructional materials include opportunities for students to access text through teacher read-alouds, choral reading, and independent reading. Students interact with texts through both the ELA Lessons and Shared Reading. Texts used for interactive read-alouds are often above grade-level and are read aloud by the teacher who models through think-alouds and leads discussion about the text. Shared Reading texts are often read together chorally for the first read with one purpose, and then again in pairs or independently for a second read with another purpose.

Interactive Reading texts are part of the ELA Lessons. The texts are read aloud by the teacher who models through think-alouds and facilitates discussion of the text.

In the first nine weeks of ELA Lessons, examples of the texts read to students include: The BFG by Roald Dahl, One Hen by Katie Smith Milway, and Boy Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl.

In the second nine weeks of ELA Lessons, examples of the texts read to students include: Lon Po Po by Ed Young, The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco, The Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say, A Drop Around the World by Barbara Shaw McKinney, and What is a Biome? by Bobbie Kalman.

In the third nine weeks of ELA Lessons, examples of the texts read to students include: Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, Rosa by Nikki Giovanni, When Marian Sang by Pam Munoz Ryan, Harvesting Hope by Kathleen Krull, and Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor.

In the fourth nine weeks of ELA Lessons, examples of the texts read to students include: Pinduli, by Janell Cannon and Bringing Rain to the Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema.

Shared Reading texts are read first as a choral read with one purpose, and then students engage in a second read with partners for another purpose.

In the first nine weeks of Shared Reading, examples of the texts students read include: Owen Foote, Money Man by Stephanie Greene, Fudge-a-Mania by Judy Blume, The Constitution of the United States by Christine Taylor-Butler, The Congress of the United States by Christine Taylor-Butler, and Soil by Christian Ditchfield.

In the second nine weeks of Shared Reading, examples of the texts students read include: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo, Minerals, Rocks, and Soil by Barbara J. Davis, Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo, and And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? by Jean Fritz.

In the third nine weeks of Shared Reading, examples of the texts students read include: A Picture Book of Frederick Douglass by David Adler, A Picture Book of Frederick Douglass by David Adler, Susan B. Anthony: Champion of Women’s Rights by Helen Albee Monsell, and Twisters and Other Terrible Storms by Will Osborne.

In the fourth nine weeks of Shared Reading, examples of the texts students read include: Ancient Greece by Sandra Newman, Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck, and Who Was Franklin Roosevelt? by Margaret Frith.

Criterion 1g - 1n

The materials for Grade 3 meet the expectations for text-focused questions and tasks over the course of the year. Questions and tasks include speaking and writing work that is connected and focused on the text(s) with which students engage. Some culminating tasks are not connected to what students previously read and demonstrated.

Indicator 1g

Most questions, tasks, and assignments are text-dependent, requiring students to engage with the text directly (drawing on textual evidence to support both what is explicit as well as valid inferences from the text).

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria that most questions, tasks, and assignments are text dependent/specific, requiring students to engage with the text directly (drawing on textual evidence to support both what is explicit as well as valid inferences from the text).

Daily instruction is organized in weekly lessons with three parts: an ELA Lesson, Shared Reading, and Differentiated Instruction, with different texts used in each part of the lesson. Routines in the ELA Lesson and the Shared Reading both have components that require students to engage with the text directly. Though some tasks can be accomplished without the use of the text, both ELA and Shared Reading include teacher-led close reading and student-led close reading with tasks and questions that are text-dependent. Questions, tasks, and assignments require students to engage with the text to answer questions.

Examples include:

In Week 1, Shared Reading, Day 1, after reading Owen Foote, Money Man by Stephanie Greene, students are asked, “What additional information do we get from the illustration on page 8?” and “What is the author telling us at the bottom of page 9 when the text says, ‘She looked at the expression on Lydia’s face. Not that you ever think of it, she finished weakly’?”

In Week 3, ELA, Day 1, after reading One Hen, by Katie Smith, students are directed to the text and asked, “There are lots of things Kojo can do with his money. What do you think his mother will want him to do? Remember to consider her perspective.”

In Week 13, ELA, Day 4, while reading Lon Po Po by Ed Young students are asked, “What are some examples from the story that show how the wolf is clever? Is the wolf still pretending to be Po Po? How do you know?”

In Week 16, Shared Reading, Day 4, after reading The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo, students are asked, “Why does the Edward think Abilene will come and find him?” and “How did the storm help Edward to escape from the bottom of the ocean?”

In Week 28, ELA, Day 5, after reading Pinduli by Janell Cannon, the students are asked, “How was Pinduli different from the other animals when she was insulted?”

Some questions throughout the program are not text-dependent. For example, in Week 31, Shared Reading, Day 2, after reading Ancient Greece by Sandra Newman, students are asked to use the words “peninsula” and “B.C.E.” in sentences that capture details from the text on the two pages read. Then they are asked, to write questions for the author about the chapter. “What are you curious about? What would you ask her if you had the chance?” While the presumption is that students will anchor their written questions in the text, the teacher will have to assure that individually, as there is not much guidance in the materials to support instructional moves if students answer off-text.

Indicator 1h

Sets of high-quality sequences of text-dependent questions and tasks build to a culminating task that integrates skills (may be writing, speaking, or a combination).

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially meet the criteria for having sets of high-quality sequences of text-dependent/specific questions and tasks build to a culminating task that integrates skills (may be writing, speaking, or a combination).

In the Evaluation section of the Teacher’s Manual, there are two cumulative tasks. In the ELA lessons, there are opportunities for students to take the information they learned about a topic from a variety of texts and apply it to a writing piece. The writing assignment includes integration of skills; however, the teaching notes for these lessons are designed around the type of writing more than the application of knowledge around a topic. During Shared Reading lessons, students discuss the text daily and write a written response. Although they might use the same text, the written responses are different each day and are not culminating tasks. The end of the year cumulative project is the same for Grades 3, 4, and 5. Additionally, culminating tasks are not referenced or clearly labeled in the materials. There are no specific instructions in the lessons or the Teacher’s Manual about culminating tasks.

Examples include:

In ELA, Week 11, students choose from two books read in class, The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco and Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say, and write a book review.

In ELA, Weeks 22-23, after reading texts about important people in history such as Rosa Parks, Frederick Douglass, and Cesar Chavez, students select one of the people and write a biography about that person.

In ELA, Weeks 31-32, after reading A True Book: Ancient Greece by Sandra Newman, students select one god they read about and become an expert on that god by completing a research project. Students use the information they gather to complete a series of tasks leading to the creation of an infographic.

In ELA, Week 34, students complete a cumulative task about their reading and writing identity. They write a memoir reflecting on how their feelings have changed about themselves as readers and writers throughout the year. Students design covers and perform a museum walk.

Indicator 1i

Materials provide frequent opportunities and protocols for evidencebased discussions that encourage the modeling and use of academic vocabulary and syntax. (May be small group and all-class.)

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria for materials providing frequent opportunities and protocols for evidence-based discussions (small groups, peer-to-peer, whole class) that encourage the modeling and use of academic vocabulary and syntax.

Each lesson provides students an opportunity for evidence-based discussions. According to the section of the Teacher Manual, titled Using this Manual, the instructional plans are intentionally brief to create ease of use in real-time. The Read Alouds section of the Teacher Manual provides general explanations of Every Pupil Response and Partners, strategies to increase student engagement. Every Pupil Response includes taking votes, signaled responses such as thumbs up, and talking with a partner. Partner work includes opportunities for students to confer in pairs about their reading and writing, and questions about the previous day’s learning. It can be signaled by “turn and talk to your partner” or “ask your partner”.

Examples include:

In ELA, Week 2, Days 2-5: Learning to Write Opinions, the teacher reminds students they previously learned about narrative writing. Students then, “turn and tell your partner what you remember.” The teacher says the focus this week will be opinion writing. “Talk with your partner about what needs to be included when you are writing to tell about your opinion on a topic.” After discussing with a partner, students share their ideas and the teacher creates a list. The teacher models with the first text, then students read a second text and turn and talk to partners about whether the text is opinion or not based on the required elements for opinion writing. After discussions with partners, students share out as a class and the class votes to come to consensus on whether or not the text meets the opinion writing elements. Students then continue this work with additional texts by working in pairs or small groups.

In ELA, Week 5, Days 1-2, while reading The BFG by Roald Dahl, the teacher reads pieces of texts and guides the students through a set of questions for partner discussion. “I don’t think we have enough information to infer what it could be, do we? Tell your partner if you have an idea…” Read aloud, “Do you think Sophie did the right thing by hiding under covers? What would you have done? Talk it over with your partner.” Read aloud, “Now I want you to think of a good question to ask about what we’ve read today. Then ask your partner that question.”

In Shared Reading, Week 9, Days 1-5, students read the historical fiction text, Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone. Students engage in choral reading the text as a class, and then reread the text with partners. Students are given a purpose for reading: "Now think about the setting. What do we learn about the characteristics of this time period? Think about Captain John Smith. What do we learn about his character?” Each day students share the previous day’s response to “Review and Share Written Responses”. For example, “What do we know about the expedition so far? Make a list of key details you can find, and then summarize and infer to link the facts together.”

In ELA, Week 11, Day 3, while reading Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say, the teacher explicitly teaches two words from the text during “Teach Meaning Vocabulary”. The teacher explains the meaning of the word astonished and guides students to create sentences using a frame. “I was astonished when I saw _____ because _____ . The surprise ending in _____ astonished me. When I _____ my mother was astonished.” On Day 4, the teacher uses the same protocol to teach the words steamship and enormous.

In Shared Reading, Week 25, Days 3-5, while reading Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck, each day there is a segment of the lesson titled, “Provide a New Focus for Rereading with Partners”. The teacher provides a question for the focus of the partner reread. No additional teaching notes or protocols are provided. Examples, “Now think about what we learn about PeeWee. Now think about what it means for events to veer off in a new direction. Now think about how PeeWee has changed since seeing Irene.”

In Shared Reading, Week 31, Day 4, while reading Ancient Greece by Sandra Newman, students have the opportunity for evidenced-based discussions using a set of questions within a group. “How was the Greeks’ religion different from most religions today? Why did the Greeks like sports? Do you think women played sports in the Olympics? Do you think the Greeks ever climbed to the top of Mount Olympus?”

Indicator 1j

Materials support students' listening and speaking about what they are reading and researching (including presentation opportunities) with relevant follow-up questions and supports.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria for materials supporting students’ listening and speaking about what they are reading and researching (including presentation opportunities) with relevant follow-up questions and supports.

The individual ELA lessons support students speaking and listening about what they are reading and researching. The standards alignment outlines the Speaking and Listening standards targeted throughout the lessons. Lessons require students to share their reflections and engage in follow-up questioning and include collaborative activities with guidance on how to evaluate speaking and listening with a rubric. During the Shared Reading lessons, students engage in speaking and listening about what they are reading. There is a section in the Shared Reading lessons titled, "Review and Share Written Responses". Students often write a response that is shared at the start of the next day’s lesson. Despite the use of follow-up questions and opportunities to share, presentations and supports do not provide much depth. Additionally, it is sometimes unclear if follow-up comprehension discussions are intended for oral or written response, and whether they are meant to be discussed as a class or with peers.

Example include:

In ELA, Week 1, Days 1-5, students plan and write a narrative story about something that happened to them. Students turn and talk to partners about what should be included when telling someone a story. During the lessons, students read several narrative pieces with their partners, and discuss which pieces of writing are the strongest examples of narrative texts. They are asked to share their rationale with the class.

In ELA, Week 5, Days 1-5, students read The BFG by Roald Dahl and engage in partner discussions. On Day 3, students imagine they can send warnings to people in other countries while the giant sleeps. They are asked what a warning email would say. At the start of Day 4, they share their email with the class.

In Shared Reading, Week 19, Days 1-3, students read A Picture Book of Frederick Douglass by David A. Adler. After choral reading, students are given a purpose for rereading with their partners. “As you read again with your partner, pay attention to how white people had different ideas about how African Americans should be treated.” And “As you read again in partners, think about the people who helped Frederick Douglass become free and achieve his goals.” On Day 2, students write a diary entry after reading about the fight with Mr. Covey. At the start of Day 3, students share their diary entries with the class.

In Shared Reading, Week 24, Days 1-5, students read Twisters and Other Terrible Storms by Will Osborne and Mary Pope Osborne. On Day 2, students complete a chart about different types of clouds using information on pages 36-39 in the book. On Day 3, student pairs share their charts with the class.

In ELA, Weeks 31- 32, students create an infographic based on research about the gods and goddesses listed in the Shared Reading text A True Book: Ancient Greece by Sandra Newman. Each day there is a “Sharing” portion of the lesson. In Week 32, the teacher’s instructions say, “Students will work around the room presenting and offering targeted feedback to their partners. Provide guidance as needed and offer coaching to students on active listening.” On Days 4 and 5, students are asked to present, listen, and offer feedback. The teacher also listens and provides feedback to each student.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria for materials including a mix of on-demand and process writing (e.g. multiple drafts, revisions over time) and short, focused projects, incorporating digital resources where appropriate.

Materials include short and longer writing tasks and projects that are aligned to grade-level standards. Throughout the lessons, students engage in various methods of writing, including on-demand writing in the form of open-ended responses to vocabulary written in context, short paragraphs or sentences in response to daily prompts. Process writing is modeled with the use of checklists, charts, and graphic organizers, and the sequence of planning, drafting, revising, editing, and writing final drafts. Writing instruction takes place during the ELA Lesson, however, students also write in response to reading during the Shared Reading. The ELA Lesson is structured into three segments: Teacher, which includes instruction and modeling; Students, which is structured work time with a specific goal and process; and Share, which allows students to share with peers and the teacher. The Teacher Manual includes an appendix titled Writing, which explains the design of the writing instruction as structurally repetitive. Students engage in the same sequence of writing instruction with different content throughout the year.

Examples include:

In ELA, Week 1, Day 4, after an initial assessment and introduction to narrative writing, students learn to use a graphic organizer for prewriting a narrative. The teacher begins by modeling with a think aloud, and the students work in partners to add to the graphic organizer. On Day 5, the teacher models using the graphic organizer together with the narrative checklist to write the narrative paragraph.

In Shared Reading, Week 5, Day 3, after reading The Constitution of the United States, by Christine Taylor-Butler, students are asked to write in response to the prompt, “If you were at an important meeting, would you rather be a planner, a small starter, a leader, a writer, or a uniter? Why? Give Reasons.”

In Shared Reading, Week 7, Day 2, while reading The Congress of the United States by Christine Taylor-Butler, students answer guiding questions in a chart comparing and contrasting the House of Representatives and the Senate. Students use the information in the chart to write three paragraphs about what they learned.

In ELA, Week 14, Days 1-5, students revisit adventure stories they wrote in Week 6. The teacher models lessons for revising the stories to use vivid language and dialogue. Students return to their narratives and revise their writing.

In Shared Reading, Week 29, Day 5, after reading Who Was Franklin Roosevelt? By Margaret Frith, students respond to the prompt, “Reread the very last paragraph. How do you think this experience in Georgia influenced FDR?”

Indicator 1l

Materials provide opportunities for students to address different text types of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria for materials providing opportunities for students to address different text types of writing that reflect the distribution required by the standards.

Appendix E of the Teacher Manual provides an overview of writing for the year. Materials provide frequent opportunities across the school year for students to learn, practice, and apply writing using evidence. Writing is centered around student analysis and claims developed from reading closely and working with sources. Materials provide opportunities to build students’ writing skills through the use of checklists, models, and rubrics. Over the course of the school year, students are given instruction and practice in a variety of genres addressed in the standards. During the ELA lessons, there is instruction on the different types of writing, using the same sequence: Learn the characteristics of the genre; Evaluate good and poor examples of the genre; Learn to plan the genre; Learn to draft the genre; and Learn to revise, both with peers and independently with different content throughout the year. During Shared Reading, students write in response to reading with opinion, narrative, and informative prompts related to the text.

For example:

In Shared Reading, Week 2, Day 2, after reading Owen Foote Money Man by Stephanie Greene, students respond to the opinion prompt, “Owen and Joseph have failed at their video idea and at their pet walking idea. What could they try next? Give reasons for your opinion.”

In Shared Reading, Week 7, Day 2, after reading The Congress of the United States by Christine Taylor-Butler, students respond to the informative prompt, “Reread page 14. What does the Speaker of the House do? Summarize the speaker’s responsibilities.”

In ELA, Weeks 9-10, after reading Soil by Christin Ditchfield and practicing with a variety of written pieces to identify informative texts, students write an informative piece about soil.

In ELA, Week 14, Days 2-3, after the teacher models with a graphic organizer, students write a narrative adventure story draft. Instruction in the following days is focused on vivid word choice and revision.

In Shared Reading, Week 16, Day 1, after reading The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo, students respond to the informative prompt, “Edward has lived in two settings: with Abilene and with Nellie and the fisherman. Compare and contrast these two settings. How was life similar and different for Edward?”

In Shared Reading, Week 29, Day 3, after reading Who Was Franklin Roosevelt? by Margaret Frith, students respond to the narrative prompt, “Pretend you are Eleanor writing a letter to a friend about your mother-in-law, Sara. What would you say about her? Make sure to write from her point of view.”

Indicator 1m

Materials include frequent opportunities for evidence-based writing to support careful analyses, well-defended claims, and clear information.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria for materials including frequent opportunities for evidence-based writing to support careful analyses, well-defended claims, and clear information appropriate for the grade level.

Shared reading lessons have opportunities for students to engage in evidence-based writing instruction. In the “Assign Written Response” and the “Engage in Comprehension Discussion” portions of the lesson, there are questions that can be used to develop evidence-based writing. The Evaluation tab in the Teacher Manual has a section called Grading, with Super Sentence Rubrics, Writing Response Rubrics, Example Students Responses, and Example Grading Responses to help support students and teachers. ELA Lessons provide explicit instruction and modeling to support students in using text-based evidence.

For example:

In Shared Reading, Week 3, Day 4, after reading Fudge-a-Mania by Judy Blume, students are asked to respond to the prompt, “All’s well that ends well. What does she mean by that?” Students are required to use evidence from the text, but no models or instructional supports are used to help students learn how to cite evidence.

In Shared Reading, Week 15, Day 4, students read And Then What Happened Paul Revere? by Jean Fritz and respond to the prompt, “The author is asking us to think again about what happened next. How do you think Hancock made up for his mistake?” The writing task requires students to use evidence from the text.

In ELA, Week 27, Days 1-5, students respond to a prompt to think about an injustice and how disagreements can occur due to differences in opinion. Students think about situations when the end goal is more important than how the goal was achieved. Instruction focuses on reasons and evidence used to support the opinion. The teacher models the use of counter-argument, pulling examples from the text Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor.

Indicator 1n

Materials include explicit instruction of the grammar and conventions standards for grade level as applied in increasingly sophisticated contexts, with opportunities for application both in and out of context.

The materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria for materials including explicit instruction of the grammar and conventions standards for grade level as applied in increasingly sophisticated contexts, with opportunities for application both in and out of context.

Bookworms Grade 3 materials provide explicit instruction of most grade level grammar and conventions in the Sentence Composing section of each ELA lesson plan in conjunction with the day’s read-aloud. The explicit grammar instruction takes place within four instructional activities: Combining, Unscrambling, Imitating, and Expanding. Each Sentence Composing activity is followed by a writing activity for students to use the skill in their own writing. Included is a Third Grade Editing Checklist for students to use to revise and edit their writing. The Third Grade Editing Checklist is used for checking convention standards such as capitalizing in titles, placing commas in addresses and consulting references.

Materials include explicit instruction of grammar and conventions standards for the grade-level, and materials include opportunities for students to demonstrate application of skills both in- and out-of-context. Examples include, but are not limited to:

Students have opportunities to explain the function of nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in general and their functions in particular sentences. For example:

In the ELA Lesson Plans, Week 3, Day 1, Teach Sentence Composing, Imitate, the teacher shows: As he walks home, he thinks about the future. and As he walks home, he _____ about the future. The teacher explains the verb has been removed and that a verb is something we can do. The teacher explains the verb can take different forms and that this verb has to work with the pronoun he. The teacher and students work to think of other verbs that work with the pronoun. The teacher removes future from the sentence frame and explains that it is a noun. The teacher explains that a noun is a person, place, thing or idea and that this noun is part of the prepositional phrase about the _______. The teacher and students use their new set of nouns to and determine how they can change the final noun.

In the ELA Lesson Plans, Week 3, Day 5, Teach Sentence Composing, Expand, students use a sentence (I went to my first school) from a text (Boy: Tales of Childhood) and expand the sentence by adding to it. The teacher prompts: “What if we substitute the pronoun I with the noun it represents? Does it create a need for an edit? When did this happen? Where was the school? Can we add an adjective that describes the school?” The teacher leads the class in the expanding routine based on student responses.

In the ELA Lesson Plans, Week 8, Day 2, Teach Sentence Composing, Imitate, instruction is provided about this sentence, “Fetch me four very tall grandfather clocks.” Students learn that grandfather is not a noun in the sentence since it is an adjective. The lesson includes brainstorming other adjectives to describe clocks.

In the ELA Lesson Plans, Week 5, Day 3, Teach Sentence Composing, Imitate, students view the following sentence: They were too far away for their faces to be seen ____. The teacher had removed the word clearly from the sentence and explains adverbs often end in the -ly suffix. Students list eight more adverbs.

Students have opportunities to form and use regular and irregular plural nouns. For example:

In the ELA Lesson Plans, Week 3, Day 1, Teach Sentence Composing, Imitate, the teacher provides the sentence: As he walks home, he thinks about the future. The teacher explains that a noun is a person, place, thing or idea and that this noun is part of the prepositional phrase about the _______. The teacher and students use their new set of nouns to determine how they can change the final noun.

In ELA Lesson Plans, Week 5, Day 2, Teach Sentence Composing, Imitate, students use a sentence: (Three or four giants were sitting quite motionless on the rocks.) from The BFG. The teacher guides the class in changing the plural noun giants. The teacher says, “If I remove giants, I need another plural noun. That’s why we see the verb were instead of was. One giant was sitting, but three or four were sitting. Most plural nouns end in s or es; but there are also irregulars. What’s the plural of person? What’s the plural of woman? What’s the plural of mouse? What other plural nouns could we substitute?” The lesson continues with the teacher guiding the students in matching plural nouns with plural verbs, and identifying regular and irregular plural nouns.

Students have opportunities to use abstract nouns (e.g., childhood). For example:

In ELA Lesson Plans, Week 3, Day 4, Teach Sentence Composing, Imitate, students use a sentence from Boy: Tales of Childhood: This was the treatment that all of his children received before they were born.The lesson prompts the teacher to guide the class in changing the noun treatment. The teacher says, “What other nouns could we use here? Think about both concrete nouns, that represent actual things, and abstract ones, that represent ideas.” The lesson continues with the teacher guiding the students with responses.

In the ELA Lesson Plans, Week 25, Day 2, Teach Sentence Composing, Imitate, instruction is provided about the word ‘change’ in this sentence: “I gave him all the change I had.” Students are asked to think of words they might substitute for the word ‘change’ and are reminded that a noun can also represent an idea.

Students have opportunities to form and use regular and irregular verbs. For example:

In the ELA Lesson Plans, Week 3, Day 1, Teach Sentence Composing, Imitate, the teacher provides the sentence and sentence frame: As he walks home, he thinks about the future. and As he walks home, he _____ about the future. The teacher explains the verb has been removed and that a verb is something we can do. The teacher further explains that the verb represents an action and can take different forms and that this verb has to work with the pronoun he. The teacher and students work to think of other verbs that work with the pronoun.

In the ELA Lesson Plans, Week 25, Day 2, Teach Sentence Composing, Imitate, the teacher shares the following sentence and sentence frame: I gave him all the change I had. I ____ him all the _____ I had. The teacher explains that gave is the irregular past tense of give. The teacher asks students to think of other past tense verbs that could be used. The teacher asks students to think of present tense verbs and to explain the edits that would be needed.

Students have opportunities to form and use the simple (e.g., I walked; I walk; I will walk) verb tenses. For example:

In the ELA Lesson Plans, Week 3, Day 4, Teach Sentence Composing, Imitate, the teacher shares the following sentence and sentence frame: This was the treatment that all of his children received before they were born. This was the _____ that all of his children received before they were born. This was the _____ that all of his children _____ before they were born. The teacher and students think of nouns and past tense verbs to complete the sentence frame.

Students have opportunities to ensure subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement. For example:

In the ELA Lesson Plans, Week 5, Day 2, Teach Sentence Composing, Imitate, students use a sentence (Three or four giants were sitting quite motionless on the rocks.) from The BFG. The teacher to guides the class in changing the plural noun giants. The teacher says, “If I remove giants, I need another plural noun. That’s why we see the verb were instead of was. One giant was sitting, but three or four were sitting. Most plural nouns end in s or es; but there are also irregulars. What’s the plural of person? What’s the plural of woman? What’s the plural of mouse? What other plural nouns could we substitute?”

In the ELA Lesson Plans, Week 15, Day 1, Teach Sentence Composing, Combine, the teacher shares the following sentences: The earth was like an orange. The earth was like a cannonball. The earth was not like a table. The teacher asks the students to tell which pronoun should be used to replace earth. The teacher models how the three sentences could be combined using linking words, but makes a point that the first two sentences are the ways earth is like something else and the last sentence discusses what it is not like. The teacher explains that the linking verb that is chosen must make sense with this difference: The earth was like an orange or a cannonball, but it was not like a table.Although the earth was like an orange or a cannonball, it was not like a table.

In the ELA Lesson Plans, Week 20, Day 1, Teach Sentence Composing, Imitate, using the following sentence stem: “No one was surprised that _____ loved to _____.”, students are prompted to think of a noun (common or proper) and a verb that go with it.

Students have opportunities to form and use comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs, and choose between them depending on what is to be modified. For example:

In the ELA Lesson Plans, Week 24, Day 1, Teach Sentence Composing, Imitate, the teacher shares the following sentence and sentence frame: Sisterville was one of the best places you could live in the whole state. Sisterville was one of the best _____ you could live in the whole state. The teacher explains that best is the best form from good, better, best. The teacher and students think of other adjectives that could fit in the sentence frame.

Students have opportunities to use coordinating and subordinating conjunctions. For example:

In the ELA Lesson Plans, Week 8, Day 3, Teach Sentence Composing, Combine, students combine three sentences into a single sentence with more complex syntax. The sentences used in this lesson are from the story The BFG and are: I had a horrid nightmare. When I awoke, the maid dropped my breakfast. Now I’ve got a giant on the piano. The lesson prompts the teacher to guide the class in creating a chronological series using words like after and then. The teacher says, “I see that these are three separate things happening, so I might be able to think about the order and use linking words to help others see it. It seems like they are in order. I could start with first.” The lesson continues with the teacher guiding the students in using coordinating and subordinating conjunctions.

In the ELA Lesson Plans, Week 24, Day 2, Teach Sentence Composing, Combine, the teacher share the following sentences: I whistle softly. I watch as Shiloh comes loping toward me. The teacher models how to combine these two words using temporal words and a linking word: First, I whistle softly, and then I watch as Shiloh comes loping toward me.

Students have opportunities to produce simple, compound, and complex sentences. For example:

In the ELA Lesson Plans, Week 3, Day 1, Teach Sentence Composing, Expand, the teacher shares the sentence: He wonders how he will know which hen to choose. The teacher models how the phrase because he know the decision is important can be added to the beginning or the end of the sentence. The teacher explains that when the phrase, or any phrase that answers why or when, is added to the beginning of a sentence a comma must be used before the original sentence starts.

In the ELA Lesson Plans, Week 7, Day 3, Teach Sentence Composing, Combine, in this lesson, instruction is providing about how to combine two simple sentences. One of the sentences is a detail about when something happened that can combine with the other sentence at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end requiring different punctuation in each example.

Students have opportunities to capitalize appropriate words in titles. For example:

In the ELA Lesson Plans, Week 10, Day 5, Learn to Write Informative Piece, the students use a Third Grade Editing Checklist that includes: I capitalized names, holidays and geographic names.

Use commas in addresses.

In the ELA Lesson Plans, Week 10, Day 5, during Learn to Write Informative Piece, the students use a Third Grade Editing Checklist, that includes: I used commas in addresses.

Students have opportunities to use commas and quotation marks in dialogue. For example:

In the ELA Lesson Plans, Week 8, Day 2, Assign or Model Written Response, students are assigned the task of writing three things a character could have said to another character. They are asked to write complete sentences and use quotation marks. A model is provided.

In the ELA Lesson Plans, Week 10, Day 5, during Learn to Write Informative Piece, the students use a Third Grade Editing Checklist, that includes: I used commas and quotations in dialogue.

Students have opportunities to form and use possessives. For example:

In the ELA Lesson Plans, Week 13, Day 4, Teach Sentence Composing, Imitate, the teacher provides this sentence and sentence frame: When Shang stretched, she touched the wolf’s tail. When Shang stretched, she touched the _____’s tail. The teacher explains that wolf is a noun and that the ‘s shows possession, so the students must think of nouns that have a tail. The students are given this sentence frame: When Shang stretched, she touched the ____. Students must think of a possessive noun with an -'s and a noun that make sense.

Students have opportunities to use conventional spelling for high-frequency and other studied words and for adding suffixes to base words (e.g., sitting, smiled, cries, happiness). For example:

In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, small group lessons, students are asked to use conventional spelling for high-frequency words and other studied words. In all of the Phonological Awareness and Word Recognition (PAWR) groups, as well as the Word Recognition and Fluency groups (WRAF), students engage in counting the sounds in words and recognizing exactly how the letters and sounds match through high-frequency word instruction (p. 50). This helps students when spelling simple words phonetically, drawing on knowledge of sound-letter relationships.

In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Week 3, Day 2, Teach Word Study, the lesson is about when -ed or -ing is added to a CVCe word the -e has to be dropped. The lesson has instruction for CVCy words and that -ing can be added, but to add -ed the -y has to be changed to i. Students practice sorting and writing these words in the Student Workbook, Part 1, Page 34.

In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Week 1, Day 1, Teach Word Study, students learn how to add -ed and -ing to words. Students sort their words into three categories: CVVC, CVC and CVCC. Then they add the suffixes. The teacher points out that with the words that end in CVC the final consonant needs to be doubled.

In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Week 6, Day 1, the Word Study lesson targets the patterns and generalizations based on the suffixes and root words. The lesson prompts, “Govern is a verb that means to rule. A principal governs a school. A president governs a country. It was two syllables: closed, r-controlled. The suffix -ment changes govern into a noun. The government is the group of people who rule. Since -ment begins with a consonant, we can just add it to the base word.” The lesson goes on to explain the spelling and meaning of the words agreement and disagreement.

In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Week 9, Day 3, Teach Meaning Vocabulary, vocabulary words that will be read in the text are introduced as far as what kind of syllables they have. Example: “sand (closed)” Students will construct a written response after reading in their Student Workbook, Part 1, Page 111.

Students have opportunities to choose words and phrases for effect. For example:

In the ELA Lesson Plans, Week 23, Day 2, the teacher guides the students in adding transition words for effect throughout their biographies. The teacher says, “Let’s look at a list of examples of transition words or phrases. Some of these words show time order like first, second, next, then. Other linking words like also, in addition, and furthermore help to signal that new information is coming. Let’s use the following steps to add transition words to help your biography flow more smoothly.” The students read each paragraph to decide where to add new information or linking words to the sentences to make the written piece flow more smooth.

In ELA Lesson Plans, Week 26, Day 3, Teach Sentence Composing, Expand, students expand this sentence: “It’s the sound of a rifle.” by adding adjectives to modify ‘sound’ and ‘rifle’ and to add a phrase to express emotions resulting from the sound.

Criterion 1o - 1q

Materials in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language targeted to support foundational reading development are aligned to the standards.

The materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria for materials, questions, and tasks address grade-level CCSS for foundational skills by providing explicit instruction and assessment in phonics and word recognition, instruction in and practice of word analysis skills, and connected texts and tasks in a research-based progression.

Indicator 1o

Materials, questions, and tasks address grade-level CCSS for foundational skills by providing explicit instruction and assessment in phonics and word recognition that demonstrate a research-based progression.

The materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria for materials, questions, and tasks address grade-level CCSS for foundational skills by providing explicit instruction and assessment in phonics and word recognition that demonstrate a researched-based progression.

Students have opportunities to learn phonics and word recognition in both Shared Reading and during Differentiated Instruction. Students are explicitly taught each of the six syllable types in the vocabulary words for each week that are taken from the shared text. The teacher explains how prefixes and suffixes change the word meaning. Teachers use the six syllable types to explain words each day during teacher directed instruction. Students use words based in the six syllable types in their written responses during Assign Written Response. This instruction is intended to teach students decoding strategies that can be used in word attack and can be confirmed through meaning.

Materials contain explicit instruction of phonics and word recognition consistently over the course of the year. Examples include, but are not limited to:

Students have opportunities to identify and know the meaning of the most common prefixes and derivational suffixes. For example:

In Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Week 6, Day 1, Work Study, students learn to read and spell multisyllabic words with prefixes and suffixes and learn the meaning of these words. The teacher explains govern has a closed syllable and an r-controlled syllable. The suffix -ment is added to govern, and the teacher explains that government means a group of people who rule and that it is a noun. The teacher explains the suffix can just be added to govern because it ends in a consonant.

In Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Week 6, Day 3, Work Study, the teacher reviews the syllables types and gives the students words to pronounce and name the syllable types: state (VCe), lead (vowel teams), draft (closed), write (VCe), scramble (closed, C-le), work (r-controlled). The teacher reviews the doubling rule by asking students the following questions:

What do we do with a CVC word when we want to add a vowel suffix? What if it is a consonant suffix like –ment?

What about a VCe word?

What about CVCC?

In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, students work with the prefixes un- and re- as well as the suffixes -ful and -ly. Each day, the definition and an example is provided by the teacher. The teacher explains how to divide and read words with either prefixes or suffixes or both. The students practice dividing and reading several more words as well as spelling them. When spelling the words, the teacher reminds students to break the word into syllables, spell it, and check to make sure each syllable has a vowel. The lesson continues with an opportunity for students to apply this skill in context through multiple readings of a text.

Students have opportunities to decode words with common Latin suffixes. For example:

In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, on Days 3 and 4, the teacher explains students will work with suffixes and that a suffix is a word part that goes at the end of the word. The teacher explains that to read a word with a suffix, the students should find the suffix, find the root word and read it and then read the parts together. The teacher reminds students that suffixes change the meaning of the root word. During Week 2, students learn the meaning of -ful and -ly and practice reading words with these suffixes. The lesson includes: spelling practice where students say the word, break it into syllables, and spell each one. The students are reminded to check to see that there is at least one vowel in each syllable.

In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, the teacher explains that “-able means able to. For example, the word manageable refers to something that can be managed”. Students practice segmenting words with the suffix -able, then chorally read each part with the teacher and group, followed by reading the entire word. Words include: laughable, enjoyable, suitable, valuable, workable, teachable, trainable, washable, wearable, and readable. Students practice spelling three words with the -able suffix and then reading multisyllabic words in context with an authentic trade book.

Students have opportunities to decode multi-syllable words. For example:

In Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Week 4, Day 1, Word Study, students learn how to double multisyllabic words with accented final syllables: refuse, refused, refusing; surprise, surprised, surprising, compete, competed, competing. The teacher introduces four syllables types that will be used: closed syllable (CVC), open syllable, r- controlled syllable, and VCe syllable. On Day 3, the teacher reviews the four syllables types and gives students the following words to pronounce and name the syllable type: Start (r-controlled), prize (VCe), stand (closed), drive (VCe), burp (r-controlled), short (r-controlled), smile (VCe), first (r-controlled), run (closed), stop (closed), he (opened), fly (opened). The teacher then reviews the doubling rules and asks the following questions:

What do we do with a CVC word when we want to add a vowel suffix?

What about a VCe word?

What about CVCC?

In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, the teacher explains that when a single vowel followed by a consonant and final /e/, it indicates that the vowel is long. The teacher provides an example and also explains a strategy for determining where to divide the word into syllables. Each day, the teacher uses a metacognitive strategy when modeling a new word. The students have guided practice with several more words. A brief spelling practice occurs afterwards before moving into practice in context through multiple readings of a text.

Students have opportunities to read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words. For example:

In Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Week 6, Day 1, Work Study, students learn how to read and spell multisyllabic words with prefixes and suffixes and learn the meaning of these words. The teacher introduces agree. The teacher explains it has two syllables, an irregular syllable and a vowel team. The teacher explains that agree means to get along or think the same thing. The teacher explains that when the prefix dis- is added the word is a verb and means to not agree. The teacher adds the suffix -ment and explains that disagreement is a noun and that it has four syllables: closed, irregular, vowel team, closed.

In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, high-frequency word practice is embedded. The teacher must create a list of high-frequency words using the Fry Inventory. The teacher will assess each student in the differentiated group, and any sight word unknown by any one member of the group will be taught to all. This ensures children will be reviewing and learning new high-frequency words at a pace of 2 per day for the first two weeks, and then reviewing the 20 words learned in the third week. Students first point to the words as the teacher says them in a speed drill, and then the student points, waits, and spells the word aloud. Many of the high-frequency words presented in the Fry Inventory are grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.

All tasks and questions are sequenced to application of grade-level work (e.g., application of prefixes at the end of the unit/year; decoding multi-syllable words). Examples include, but not limited to:

In Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Week 7, Day 1, Assign Written Response, the students write their spelling words with syllables divided and labeled. They use each word in a super sentence that helps them to summarize the chapter. The students reread the chapter and look another word that has the suffix -ive. During Review and Share Written Responses, students share their super sentences with a partner.

In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, students have to take what they know about dividing and reading words with two syllables and apply it to words with three syllables. The teacher models with a word such as prosecute, and then students practice with additional words like: speculate, porcupine, turbulent, recorder, and understand.

Multiple assessment opportunities are provided over the course of the year to inform instructional adjustments of phonics and word recognition to help students make progress toward mastery. Examples include, but are not limited to:

In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, assessment is suggested after 14 lessons. It consists of reading VCe words, spelling VCe words, and reading high-frequency words (to be determined by the teacher). Fifteen VCe words are visually presented to the student. A score of 10/15 is an indicator of proficiency. Examples of the words included are pack, ice, place, cute, tame, and stun. An additional fifteen words are provided for the teacher to present orally as the students spell them. Examples from this section include cap, cape, man, mane, and time. A score of 10/15 is an indicator of proficiency. It includes 20 high-frequency words (to be determined by the teacher). It is suggested that any unknown words be taught in the next cycle of lessons.

In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, the Informal Decoding Inventory (IDI) shows the consistent progression of phonics and word recognition lessons throughout the instructional year. Additionally, lessons are provided for each skill and an end-of-skill assessment is provided to ensure understanding of each phonics and word recognition skills throughout the program.

In Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Week 5, Day 1, Word Study, the teacher explains students can use syllable patterns for reading and spelling. The teacher introduces four syllables types: closed syllable, open syllable, r-controlled syllable and VCe syllable. The teacher demonstrates how to use the syllable types to decode the words create and protect. During Assign Written Response, the students write their base words, divide them into syllables, and label the syllable types. The students add -ed and -ing. The students use two of the words in super sentences. During Review and Share Written Responses, the students work in partners and share their sentences.

In Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Week 7, Day 1, Assign Written Response, the students write their spelling words with syllables divided and labeled. They use each word in a super sentence that helps them to summarize the chapter. The students reread the chapter and look another word that has the suffix -ive. During Review and Share Written Responses, students share their super sentences with a partner.

Indicator 1p

Materials, lessons, and questions provide instruction in and practice of word analysis skills in a research-based progression in connected text and tasks.

The materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria for materials, lessons, and questions providing instruction in and practice of word analysis skills in a research-based progression in connected text and tasks.

Bookworm Grade 3 materials provide opportunities for students to learn, practice, and apply word analysis skills in connected text and tasks through daily Shared Reading: Word Study activities. Word study words are from the Shared Reading text and used to teach word analysis skills. Every fifth day, the teacher monitors student learning of word analysis skills. Outside of the Word Study test every fifth day, an additional decoding inventory is used to monitor student learning of the word analysis skills.

Multiple and variedopportunities are provided over the course of the year in core materials for students to learn, practice, and apply word analysis skills in connected texts and tasks. Examples include, but not limited to:

In Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Week 1, Day 1, Word Study, instruction is provided on adding -ed and -ing to the end of words. Base words are sorted into categories (CVVC, CVC, CVCC) before adding the endings and it is clarified that when adding the suffixes to a word that ends with CVC, the final consonant must be doubled. Later in the lesson the students have opportunities to practice reading words with these suffixes in the text Owen Foote, Money Man.

In Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Week 5, Day 1, Word Study, the teacher explains that students can use syllable patterns for reading and spelling. The teacher introduces four syllables types: closed syllable, open syllable, r-controlled syllable and VCe syllable. The teacher demonstrates how to use the syllable types to decode the words create and protect. During Assign Written Response, the students write their base words, divide them into syllables and label the syllable types. The students then add -ed and -ing. The students use two of the words in super sentences. During Review and Share Written Responses, the students work in partners and share their sentences.

In Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Week 7, Day 1, Assign Written Response, the students write their spelling words with syllables divided and labeled. They use each word in a super sentence that helps them to summarize the chapter. The students reread the chapter and look for another word that has the suffix -ive. During Review and Share Written Responses, students share their super sentences with a partner.

In Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Week 9, Day 1, the students learn the vocabulary words: ingredients, nutrients and bacteria. The words are presented already broken into syllables and each syllable is named. Students are given the opportunity to practice when they read Soil as a class. In addition to being included in the Shared Reading Lesson Plan, they are also in the Grade 3 Reading & Writing Student Workbook, Part 1 on page 104. Here, the students have space to create a semantic map of each word and use it in a "super sentence". A super sentence is a compound or complex sentence.

In Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Week 15, Day 1, Meaning Vocabulary, the teacher introduces the vocabulary words from the text, gives their meaning, explains how they can be divided into syllables and the syllable types in the word: pro · hib · it · ed (open, closed, closed, suffix) and sil · ver · smith (closed, r-controlled, closed). Students chorally read these words within the text: And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? During Assign Written Response, students write super sentences using these words. The next day during Review and Share Written Response, students share their writing with a partner.

In the Grade 3 Teacher’s Manual under Shared Reading: Word Study explains that beginning in third grade, teachers “address syllable juncture, focusing directly on the doubling principle and then on multisyllabic decoding.” Additionally, the Grade 3 Teacher’s Manual explains that “chunking words into syllables is an aid in decoding, spelling, and meaning. Multisyllabic word study words can be analyzed at the syllable level. The goal of this instruction is to build flexible strategies for attacking unknown words.”

In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, multisyllabic instruction is explained. The text states, “you may be wondering why our treatment of multisyllabic words begins with attention to prefixes, suffixes, and compound words. The ability to recognize affixes and compounds is obviously important, and we view it as an introduction to the more abstract work with syllables, which we see as a far greater barrier to fluency.”

In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, the Fluency and Comprehension lessons with Multisyllabic Decoding are part of the differentiated instruction skill groups available to students. In this group, students decode multisyllabic words, chorally pronounce each word part and then the entire word, and read words in context by engaging with authentic text.

In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, week two of the Multisyllabic Decoding lessons is presented. In this week, teachers will provide explicit instruction in the prefixes un- and re-, as well as suffixes -ful and -ly. The teacher reads an introduction to prefixes and suffixes. The teacher says, “Today we will work with prefixes. A prefix is a word part used at the beginning of a word. You need to know a lot of prefixes. To divide and read words with prefixes, find the prefix, read the root word, and then read the prefix and root word together. Remember that the prefix changes the meaning of the word.” The teacher then explains the meaning of each prefix and suffix for the days lesson. For day 1, the teacher says, “Un- means not. For example, the word unable means not able to do something”. Students then divide the word after the prefix, read the words chorally in parts and then in entirety, and then read words in context by engaging with authentic text.

Materials include word analysis assessment to monitor student learning of word analysis skills. Examples include, but are not limited to:

In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, there are assessments that test foundational skills:

Informal Decoding Inventory: Short Vowels through Vowel Teams- to determine the highest decoding skill set the child has attained in pronouncing one-syllable words of progressively more difficult patterns. In the subtest Vowel Teams, the teacher points to the word neat and says, “What is this word?” The teacher moves from left to right. The assessment includes the following words: neat, spoil, goat, pail, field, fruit, claim, meet, beast, craid, houn, rowb, noy, feap, nuit, maist, ploat, tead, steen

Informal Decoding Inventory: Multisyllabic Words- to determine proficiency in pronouncing two-syllable words of progressively more difficult patterns. In the subtest Multisyllabic Words, the teacher points to the word flannel and says “What is this word?”. The following words are included in the assessment: flannel, submit, cupid, spiky, confide, cascade, varnish, surplus, chowder, approach

In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, the materials explain that once student needs are identified, three or six week instructional cycles take place and are followed by simple assessments. Based on those assessments, the teacher may conclude that a student’s needs are best met in a different group with a different skill focus.

In the Teacher Manual, Shared Reading, there is a Word Study Assessment every 5th day. In the Word Study Assessment, the “teacher calls out the following vocabulary words without segmenting into sounds or syllables.” Students are asked to spell six words based on the Word Study work throughout the week. Then, the “teacher will ask students to mark half of the words to use in super sentences to demonstrate meaning.” For example, Week 4, Day 5 while reading Fudgeamania, students will complete a word study assessment with VCe words (refuse, surprise); compete CVCC words (impress and return); CVC or closed words (forget and forgot); following meaning vocabulary words: mania, jealousy, embarrassed, and resolution.

Indicator 1q

Instructional opportunities are frequently built into the materials for students to practice and achieve reading fluency in oral and silent reading, that is, to read on-level prose and poetry with accuracy, rate appropriate to the text, and expression.

The Bookworms materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria for instructional opportunities are frequently built into the materials for students to practice and achieve reading fluency in oral and silent reading, that is, to read on-level prose and poetry with accuracy, rate appropriate to the text, and expression.

Bookworms Grade 3 materials provide opportunities for students to purposely read on-level text through the weekly opportunities to participate in choral reading and partner reading in the Shared Reading Lessons. These readings are followed by a comprehension discussion about the text. In addition, students have opportunities to participate in echo reading, choral reading, partner reading and whisper reading in the Targeting Fluency and Comprehension portion of How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3. While frequent fluency assessments are not provided, the materials do direct the teacher to the use of oral reading fluency assessments such as AIMSweb or DIBELS Next.

Multiple opportunities are provided over the course of the year in core materials for students to demonstrate sufficient accuracy and fluency in oral and silent reading. Examples include, but are not limited to:

Students have opportunities to read grade-level text with purpose and understanding. For example:

In Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Week 1, Day 1, students participate in choral reading of pages 1-9 of Owen Foote, Money Man. After reading page 4, the teacher models using visualizing to better understand the text. Students then participate in rereading the text with a partner. Then students participate in a discussion with the following comprehension questions:

Why do you think Kate was nicer to Owen than Lydia was?

What additional information do we get from the illustration on page 8?

What is the author telling us at the bottom of page 9 when the text says “She looked at the expression on Lydia’s face. ‘Not that you ever think of it,’” she finished weakly?

In Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Week 15, Day 1, students participate in choral reading of pages 1-11 of And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? After reading page six, the teacher models making in an inference. Then students reread the pages with a partner. After that, the students participate in a discussion with the following comprehension questions:

Why was Boston such a busy place?

How was Paul’s early life unusual?

Why did Paul start to ring the church bells?

When Paul first went off to fight in a war, who was fighting?

In Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Week 29, Day 1, students participate in choral reading of pages 102 and 103 of Who Was Franklin Roosevelt? The teacher models reading on to clarify text that is confusing to understand. The students participate in rereading of the text with a partner. After that, the students participate in discussion using the following comprehension questions:

When did FDR die? Why is that particular date important?

Why did so many people like FDR?

What does it mean to say that most loved him even if not everyone liked his ideas?

Materials support reading or prose and poetry with attention to rate, accuracy, and expression, as well as direction for students to apply reading skills when productive struggle is necessary. Examples include, but are not limited to:

Students have opportunities to read grade-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings. For example:

In Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Week 2, Day 1, students participate in choral reading of pages 3 through 13 of Fudge-a-Mania. Then students reread these pages with a partner.

In Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Week 16, Day 1, students participate in choral reading of chapter 1 and 2 of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Then students reread these pages with a partner.

In Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Week 31, Day 1, students participate in choral reading of chapter 1 of Ancient Greece. Then students reread these pages with a partner.

In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, the Strategies for Every Pupil Response Techniques are defined.

Students use decodable texts to participate in Whisper Reading (application of decoding and word recognition), Partner Reading (calls for an authentic purpose for rereading) and Choral Reading (ensures that any decoding errors do not remain uncorrected and that the day’s text is read at least once at an appropriate rate).

Materials support for students’ fluency development of reading skills (e.g., self-correction of word recognition and/or for understanding, focus on rereading) over the course of the year (to get to the end of the grade-level band). Examples include, but are not limited to:

In the Teacher Manual, “during every day’s shared reading, you will lead the whole class in reading the day’s selection aloud.” Additionally, “If the day’s selection is too long, stop choral reading and read the rest of the day’s text aloud. Then move to partner reading. If you skip partner reading, you will not realize the gains in fluency and comprehension that rereading accomplishes.”

Students have the opportunity for repeated reading through either choral or echo reading, then partner rereading each day during Shared Reading. Partners are expected to take the roles of reader and coach, where “the reader reads to his or her partner with expression” and “the coach should read along whiles the reader reads, and prompt the reader to reread whenever there is an error.”

Assessment materials do not provide teachers and students with information of students’ current fluency skills and provide teachers with instructional adjustments to help students make progress toward mastery of fluency. Examples include, but not limited to:

The materials direct the teacher to the use of oral reading fluency assessments such as AIMSweb or DIBELS Next.

Gateway Two

Building Knowledge with Texts, Vocabulary, and Tasks

Partially Meets Expectations

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially meet the expectations for Gateway 2. Materials do provide organized and cohesive year-long academic vocabulary support, as well as comprehensive writing instruction that supports students in building their writing skills. Students have some practice to analyze different aspects of a topic using multiple texts and source materials. The materials partially meet the expectations of building students’ knowledge of topics, with some texts and text sets supporting a topic. Texts are accompanied by questions, tasks, and activities that partially support attention to the topics within and building knowledge.

Criterion 2a - 2h

24/32

Indicator 2a

Texts are organized around a topic/topics (or, for grades 6-8, topics and/or themes) to build students' ability to read and comprehend complex texts independently and proficiently.

The materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially meet the criteria that texts are organized around a topic/topics (or, for grades 6-8, topics and/or themes) to build students’ ability to read and comprehend complex texts independently and proficiently.

Shared Reading lessons include a mix of both literature and informational texts. During the Shared Reading lessons, when informational texts are used, students have opportunities to build knowledge of a topic through multiple reads, collaborative discussions, and writing in response to reading. ELA units include several topics; however texts are inconsistently organized around a topic/topics to build knowledge. In some sections, the materials provide limited teaching notes that give guidance on how teachers can support students building knowledge of a topic, and a single text set rarely includes more than two books, thus limiting the students' opportunities to apply knowledge and vocabulary in a new context.

For example:

Weeks 5-8, Shared Reading, students learn about the Constitution and Congress by reading the texts The Constitution of the United States by Christine Taylor-Butler and The Congress of the United States by Christine Taylor-Butler. Each day the teacher provides a focus for reading the assigned section, building knowledge about the three branches of government and Congress.

Weeks 9-11, Shared Reading, students build knowledge of soil by reading the text, Soil by Christin Ditchfield and Minerals, Rocks, and Soil by Barbara J. Davis. Each day the teacher provides a focus for reading the assigned section, building knowledge about soil, rock, and different kinds of minerals. These lessons are supported in Weeks 9-10, ELA Lessons when students produce informative writing about rocks or minerals.

Indicator 2b

Materials contain sets of coherently sequenced questions and tasks that require students to analyze the language, key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria that materials contain sets of coherently sequenced questions and tasks that require students to analyze the language, key ideas, details, craft, and structure of individual texts.

Throughout the lessons, students work independently and collaboratively to complete questions and tasks requiring analysis of individual texts. Lessons in ELA and Shared Reading include close reads with sequenced and scaffolded questions. Key ideas are targeted through specific questions and are designed to guide the thinking process toward precise, accurate details to help students identify main ideas, settings, characters, and chronological events. Students are also required to use inferencing skills, determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary in the text, and complete writing tasks with analysis of the message or lesson in a story.

Examples include:

In Week 5, Shared Reading, Days 1-5, students read the non-fiction text The Constitution of the United States, by Christine Taylor-Butler. Students analyze the text through a series of questions including, “Why does the author put some words in bold print? Why do you think the delegates founded a weak government at first? Why did the author choose this title for the chapter? What does it mean to say ‘I smell a rat!’? Does the author mean that literally?”

In Week 15, Shared Reading, Days 1-5, students read the text And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? by Jean Fritz. Students are asked a series of questions about the ideas and details in the text including, “Why was Boston such a busy place? How was Paul’s early life unusual? Why was the French and Indian War so boring for Paul?” Students are also prompted to use text features to aid in understanding, “Why is the illustration on page 31 important? What did it mean on page 35 when the author put Paul in italics? Explain the illustration on page 39.”

In Week 24, ELA Lesson, Days 1-5, students read the non-fiction text Twisters and Other Terrible Storms by Will Osborne and Mary Pope Osborne, paired with a Magic Tree House story. Students analyze the text through a series of questions including, “Why did the authors provide us the section on weather tools? Why do you think the authors told us about cumulonimbus clouds last? Why did the authors have to teach us about the atmosphere, wind, pressures, and thunderstorms before teaching us about tornadoes?”

Indicator 2c

Materials contain a coherently sequenced set of text-dependent questions and tasks that require students to analyze the integration of knowledge and ideas across both individual and multiple texts.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially meet the criteria that materials contain a coherently sequenced set of text-dependent questions and tasks that require students to analyze the integration of knowledge and ideas across both individual and multiple texts.

Students encounter opportunities to analyze knowledge and ideas within a single text; however, there are limited practice opportunities and explicit tasks requiring students to integrate knowledge and ideas across multiple texts. Students are provided with more opportunities for knowledge integration with discussion-based questions than with written responses. The Shared Reading section of the Teacher Manual states nearly all Shared Reading questions are inferential, requiring students to combine information from within the text or between the text and prior knowledge. The Teacher Manual also states that written responses in the Shared Reading lessons are designed to help students demonstrate and deepen comprehension daily, whereas the written responses in the ELA Lessons are used to help model thinking for composition processes and is separate from Shared Reading. The written responses during the ELA Lessons do not consistently require students to integrate knowledge and ideas from the text. The texts are more often used as a reference, and students do not need the text to complete the writing.

Weeks 3-5, Shared Reading, students first read Boy: Tales of Childhood an autobiography by author Roald Dahl, and then read his book, The BFG. While they read the autobiography, they are learning about the experiences and influences that made Dahl a famous writer. Then they begin reading one of his texts, focusing on the fantasy genre. Through discussion and writing, they are asked:

What specific influences do you think the people in this chapter might have had on Roald Dahl? What did we learn about Roald’s mother and about him? What does this chapter tell us about Roald Dahl?

Remember this is a fantasy. And it reminds me of Jack and the Beanstalk. Help me connect the two stories. They are both about... giants. In that story would the giant have eaten Jack? How are the stories different? Students complete a chart comparing the two giants and write a paragraph summarizing the differences.

Weeks 7-8, Shared Reading, students read The Congress of the United States by Christine Taylor-Butler and answer text-based questions throughout the reading. Examples of the questions include:

Why do big states have more power in the house? Can you make a connection to our last book?

What does the Speaker of the House do? Summarize the Speaker’s responsibilities.

We had a timeline in our last book, but it was different. Why would the author use two different timelines?

Indicator 2d

The questions and tasks support students' ability to complete culminating tasks in which they demonstrate their knowledge of a topic (or, for grades 6-8, a theme) through integrated skills (e.g. combination of reading, writing, speaking, listening).

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially meet the criteria that the questions and tasks support students’ ability to complete culminating tasks in which they demonstrate their knowledge of a topic (or, for grades 6-8, a theme) through integrated skills (e.g. combination of reading, writing, speaking, listening).

There are some cumulative tasks throughout the year requiring students to integrate skills to demonstrate knowledge; however, the tasks are designed around knowledge of one or more texts, or a specific writing genre. There is a shared reading lesson over several weeks that is knowledge building around a general science topic; however, students have limited opportunities to demonstrate knowledge around a topic. The end of the year cumulative project is the same for Grades 3, 4, and 5.Examples include:

ELA Lessons in Weeks 1, 14, 19, 29, and 34 cumulatively build students’ knowledge and skills in personal narrative writing throughout the school year. Week 1 begins with instruction on narrative writing, and students write a personal narrative. In successive weeks, the teacher models and students write additional narratives with various structures. The cumulative task in Week 34 is for students to write a personal memoir reflecting on how their feelings have changed about themselves as readers and writers throughout the year. Students design covers and perform a museum walk. Again, this task shows students knowledge in narrative writing, but does not demonstrate learning of topics.

Shared Reading, Weeks 9, 10, 11, students read the texts Soil by Christian Ditchfield and Minerals, Rocks, and Soil by Barbara Davis, and the culminating task is for students to write an informative paper about soil, based on the texts. In this example, students do complete a written culminating task about a topic.

ELA Lesson, Week 33, students complete a cumulative task by applying knowledge of opinion writing and writing a book review to create a book advertisement for a book they read during the school year. Students write and present their advertisements to the class. This example does not include connection to new knowledge or topic, although students are practicing self reflection. However, students do demonstrate integrated literacy skills as they move from reading and writing to speaking and listening.

Indicator 2e

Materials include a cohesive, year-long plan for students to interact with and build key academic vocabulary words in and across texts.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria that materials include a cohesive, year-long plan for students to interact with and build key academic vocabulary words in and across texts.

Shared Reading lessons include a Word Study segment, designed to bring attention to the spelling and word meaning of vocabulary words. Students also engage in explicit vocabulary instruction during Shared Reading, through word meaning, multiple meanings, and super sentences. Words selected for this part of the lesson come from the day’s text, and are displayed and introduced prior to reading. Most of the words selected have multiple meanings, and the Shared Reading lesson builds awareness of how context constraints these meanings. Following explicit instruction, students read the words in context and write sentences using the words. Students use semantic webs to plan compound or complex super sentences. ELA Lesson plans incorporate vocabulary instruction primarily in the Model a Comprehension Strategy and Ask Questions During Reading segments of the lesson. Appendix D in the Teacher’s Manual includes an overview of vocabulary words chosen for each week. Although the vocabulary routines are explicit and consistent throughout the year, the routines do not vary or increase in the rigor of application required by the student.

Shared Reading daily vocabulary routine includes, “Teach Meaning Vocabulary,” which is direct instruction for one or two vocabulary words, and “Assign Written Response,” which requires students to create a super sentence for the two words. Sometimes the super sentence includes the additional task of incorporating a reading comprehension strategy. For example:

Week 3, Shared Reading, Day 5, after reading Fudge-a-Mania by Judy Blume, during Teach Meaning Vocabulary the teacher provides direct instruction about the word “misunderstandings.” During the Assigned Written Response, students are asked to write a Super Sentence to identify any one of the misunderstandings from the chapters of the text.

ELA lesson incorporates vocabulary instruction into Interactive Reading during the “Model a Comprehension Strategy” and “Ask Questions During Reading” segments. The words are pulled for their relevance to teaching the text. For example:

Week 15, ELA Lesson, Days 1-5, students read Maps and Globes by Jack Knowlton. The lesson begins with “Introduce Book and Preview Technical Vocabulary.” The teacher shows a “Concept of Definition” diagram about maps, creates a semantic map and adds to the map during discussion. Day 1, students learn the word scale. Day 3, students learn about prime meridian, latitude, equator, elevation, and contour lines. Day 4, students learn the difference between a political map and a physical map. Day 5, students learn the term legend.

Indicator 2f

Materials include a cohesive, year-long plan to support students' increasing writing skills over the course of the school year, building students' writing ability to demonstrate proficiency at grade level at the end of the school year.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria that materials support students’ increasing writing skills over the course of the school year, building students’ writing ability to demonstrate proficiency at grade level at the end of the school year.

Students are supported through the writing process, and various activities are placed throughout lessons to ensure students’ writing skills are increasing throughout the year. Students are encouraged to develop writing stamina by writing frequently and for various purposes. Students engage in reading and discussion of mentor texts similar to those they are planning to write, and they examine and identify a range of text structures. They are guided to assess the effectiveness of their own and others’ writing. Students are instructed on the nuances of the different types of writing during the ELA Lessons, using checklists and rubrics. During Shared Reading, students write in response to reading with question prompts in opinion, narrative, and informative genres. The “Writing” Appendix in the Teacher Manual explains the design of writing instruction, stating it is intentionally “structurally repetitive.” Students engage in the same sequence with different content throughout the year as follows:

Learn the characteristics of the genre

Evaluate good and poor examples of the genre

Learn to plan the genre

Learn to draft the genre

Learn to revise, both with peers and independently

For example:

Opinion Writing

In Week 2, ELA Lesson, Days 1-5, after completing an independent writing assessment on Day 1 by writing a book review, students engage in initial opinion writing instruction for the year. Days 2-5 the teacher introduces opinion writing by engaging students in a discussion about the important parts of a book review and listing the parts of an opinion. As a whole group, the students read sample texts and examine the parts to determine if they meet the criteria for opinion writing, and in partners work to compare texts using a checklist to determine which ones have stronger opinions. On Days 4 and 5, the teacher models using the checklist and a graphic organizer to draft and write an opinion writing book review.

In Weeks 11-12, ELA Lesson, students revisit opinion writing and work together as a class to write a book review. Then students choose an independent reading book, The Keeping Quilt, or Grandfather’s Journey, and use the opinion writing checklist and graphic organizer from Week 2 to write their own book review. Students are introduced to the additional stages of the writing process as they learn to revise, edit, and publish their book reviews.

In Week 33, ELA Lesson, Days 1-5, students create an advertisement for a book they read during the year, using all the opinion writing instruction from the year (checklist, graphic organizer, transition words and phrases, editing, and revising). Students are reminded to focus on persuading the audience.

Narrative Writing

In Week 1, ELA Lesson, Days 2-5, the teacher introduces narrative writing with an interactive game and models the narrative structure by telling a story and using an anchor chart to teach the elements of setting, problem, solution, sequence, dialogue to signal order, and closure. Students are asked to recognize these elements in the story. Students then read the narrative text, 2 Futuristic Cars as the teacher guides students in recognizing the elements. The teacher introduces the narrative checklist and models the graphic organizer to plan, and students write their own short narrative.

In Week 14, ELA Lesson, the teacher reviews the beginning lesson on narratives writing and students learn there are different types of narrative writing. Students learn to craft a story ending from the details shaping the story. The teacher uses the narrative checklist and graphic organizer to model writing a reasonable ending to match the story. Students read additional stories to improve their understanding of the elements of narrative text. Students use the instruction to spend two days writing their own fictional narratives.

In Week 29, ELA Lesson, the teacher uses the text, Pinduli by Janell Cannon to show how the author uses character types to create the plot with trickery. Students use the checklist and graphic organizer to write their own narratives with the same characters but creating a different plot and events.

Informative Writing

In Week 4, ELA Lesson, Days 3-5, students begin learning about informative writing by looking at example texts. Students analyze texts to determine whether or not they are informative.

In Weeks 9-10 ELA Lesson, after reading the text Soil by Christian Ditchfield and teacher modeling of the graphic organizer and color-coded sticky notes, students use their notes to create a summary of the book Soil.

In Weeks 22-23, ELA Lesson, after review of the elements of a biography, the teacher models the use of a graphic organizer to plan and draft a biography. Students write their own and present them to peers for feedback.

Indicator 2g

Materials include a progression of focused research projects to encourage students to develop knowledge in a given area by confronting and analyzing different aspects of a topic using multiple texts and source materials.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria that materials include a progression of focused research projects to encourage students to develop knowledge in a given area by confronting and analyzing different aspects of a topic using multiple texts and source materials. Students have opportunities to analyze different aspects of a topic using multiple texts and source materials. They engage in analysis of topics in narrative, opinion, and informative writing.

ELA lessons are built around interactive read-alouds, text-based writing prompts, and a wide range of brief writing tasks. Longer writing pieces during the ELA lessons are focused more on genre and sometimes combine the genre writing with research around a topic. Shared Reading lessons ask students to write in direct response to the texts, however, they have some opportunities to write short responses using information learned from multiple texts. Teachers build students’ early research skills by modeling how to take notes, compose informative essays, and utilize resources for information. However, there are limited opportunities for students to engage in focused research projects using multiple texts and practicing working with source materials to synthesize into a final project.

Some of the examples that show how the program does support building research skills include:

In Week 9, Shared Reading, students read Soil by Christian Ditchfield. As they read the text, they engage in discussion and writing around the topic of soil. Throughout the lessons, students learn skills to support research such as constructing informative paragraphs and using sticky notes to mark important information in the text to put in a graphic organizer. The students use the graphic organizer to draft an essay about soil.

In Week 22, ELA Lesson, students read biographies about Rosa Parks, Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, Cesar Chavez, Wilson Bentley, and Marian Anderson. Students then use the information from one of the books and an online source to plan and write a biography about one of the famous people.

In Weeks 31-32, ELA Lesson, the teacher explains, “Today we are going to start a really cool research project on Greek gods!” Students read A True Book: Ancient Greece by Sandra Newman, and use information from the book with online research about one of the gods to create a project about one of the Greek gods.

Indicator 2h

Materials provide a design, including accountability, for how students will regularly engage in a volume of independent reading either in or outside of class.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria that materials provide a design, including accountability, for how students will regularly engage in a volume of independent reading either in or outside of class.

Independent reading within the daily lessons is most often represented by re-reading text from instruction during Shared Reading. During the Differentiated Instruction block, self-selected reading is a task students can choose to complete after they have finished other tasks such as word work, text-based responses, and work with the teacher.

In the Teacher Manual, in the Differentiated Instruction section, there is a section titled “Self-Selected Reading”. This section explains that Bookworms was designed to maximize authentic, connected reading and writing every day and states, “For teachers who want to hold students accountable for their choices, we recommend a Book Recommendation Board.” The Teacher Manual also explains that Bookworms does not recommend restricting students’ book choices based on level and that students should be able to self-select books of interest from classroom libraries.

The Differentiated Instruction portion of the ELA block does not have specific daily lessons for the teachers to use. The Teacher Manual provides a reference to books used for curriculum development and brief overviews of parts of differentiated instruction.

Gateway Three

Usability

Not Rated

Criterion 3a - 3e

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria that the visual design (whether in print or digital) is not distracting or chaotic, but supports students in engaging thoughtfully with the subject.

Print material for students is a set of Shared Reading workbooks, organized by weeks. Workbooks are clearly labeled by weeks, days, lessons, and lesson segments. The workbooks are consumable, so students are able to write directly in the book. Standards are not labeled in the workbook. There are no digital student materials.

Pages are labeled on the sides with Shared Reading weeks.

Pages are labeled at the top with the day and name of the text from Shared Reading.

Segments of the Shared Reading lessons are clearly labeled: Meaning Vocabulary; Written Response; and Word Sort.

Each page has ample space with lines for students to write.

Font is clear and large, and there are no unnecessary distractions on the pages.

Indicator 3a

Materials are well-designed and take into account effective lesson structure and pacing.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria that materials are well-designed and take into account effective lesson structure and pacing.

Implementation of the 90-minute instructional block, consists of three 45-minute blocks including Shared Reading, ELA Lessons, and Differentiated Instruction. Although there isn't a prescribed order for planning the three blocks, the Teacher Manual states the importance of the 45 minute-each time allocation.

The Differentiated Instruction does not target instructional reading level. According to the Teacher Manual, differentiation is Tier II instruction, and students are placed in groups based on an informal reading inventory and Oral Reading Fluency data. An example routine includes 15 minutes with the teacher, and 30 minutes to complete written responses, word study, or vocabulary.

Indicator 3b

The teacher and student can reasonably complete the content within a regular school year, and the pacing allows for maximum student understanding.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria that the teacher and student can reasonably complete the content within a regular school year, and the pacing allows for maximum student understanding.

Bookworms Reading and Writing Curriculum consists of three 45-minute daily instructional blocks with a complete span of 34 weeks. Appendix C of the Teacher Manual provides an overview of instruction for the year. According to the Teacher Manual, grade-level teams are expected to map out the curriculum weeks to align with the school calendar, accounting for school activities and testing. Within the 45-minute instructional blocks, teachers and students should have ample time to complete the entire lesson. However, while the materials include specific instructional sequences for the three blocks, no suggested time allotment or pacing for the various segments within the instructional block is included.

Additional notes in the Teacher Manual referring to time include:

“Do not use Bookworms Reading and Writing unless you make the time.”

Teachers need intact segments of time for Shared Reading and ELA blocks. They can be completed in any order, with interruptions limited to the breaks between blocks. Literacy instruction must include 90 minutes daily.

No outside worksheets will fit into the program because the time allocated for each instructional block is filled with the lesson curriculum.

Teacher materials include first-person scripts to support teacher and student understanding. ELA Lessons provide more resources, directions, and explanations for both the teacher and the student. Lessons include think alouds, graphic organizers, checklists, anchor charts, model writing, and directives for students to share in discussions.

Shared Reading planning notes, teacher explanations, and student supports are more brief. Student workbooks include space to complete written responses to prompts, bold vocabulary words with definitions, parts of speech, sentences, and semantic maps. “Engage in Comprehension” for example, is simply a list of questions. Teacher notes and sample student responses are not included for “Engage in Discussion”, “Assign Written Response”, or “Model Written Response” segments of the Shared Reading or ELA lessons.

Differentiation is not directly supported in the Bookworms materials beyond the brief overview in the Teacher Manual. An outside text for purchase is suggested for support with the note, “Teachers cannot implement our routines without the materials and explanations in that book. It is available cheaply.”

ELA Lesson Plans, Week 1 includes a Narrative Checklist. The teacher models how to use the checklist with an excerpt from the book Fudge-a-Mania by Judy Blume.

ELA Lesson, Week 12, students read students read Pecos Bills by Mary Pope Osborne. The teacher explains that students are going to write from the perspective of a coyote. "Write in your coyote diary about the day you found Pecos Bill."

Shared Reading, Week 31, students use the workbook to complete a writing activity. A verbal prompt is provided by the teacher, “Today I want you to use a pen name. You might be able to guess the one that I mean. I want you to use the pen name, ‘Silence Dogwood.’ Just like Ben, write a humorous paragraph pretending to be Silence. Remember to write from Silence’s point of view.”

Indicator 3d

Materials include publisher-produced alignment documentation of the standards addressed by specific questions, tasks, and assessment items.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially meet the criteria that materials include publisher-produced alignment documentation of the standards addressed by specific questions, tasks, and assessment items.

ELA and Shared Reading block lessons specifically denote the standards to which the lesson tasks align. There is no scope and sequence document provided in the materials. Therefore, teachers need to refer to each individual lesson to determine which standards are being taught, and map them out to determine the frequency with which they are being taught.

ELA Lesson, Week 3, Day 4, students read Boy: Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl. Standard addressed in this lesson is W.3.2. Student respond to a prompt, speculating into the future using information from the text.

Shared Reading, Week 12, Day 1, students read Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. Standards addressed in the lesson are L.3.2, L3.4, L3.4c, and L3.6. The teacher explicitly teaches the words produce and exception.

ELA Lesson, Week 14, Day 1, students learn to evaluate and write narratives. The standards addressed in this lesson are SL3.1b and W.3.3. Students write an ending to the tale Davy Crockett.

Indicator 3e

The visual design (whether in print or digital) is not distracting or chaotic, but supports students in engaging thoughtfully with the subject.

N/A

Criterion 3f - 3j

Materials support teacher learning and understanding of the Standards.

Indicator 3f

Materials contain a teacher's edition with ample and useful annotations and suggestions on how to present the content in the student edition and in the ancillary materials. Where applicable, materials include teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria that materials contain a teacher’s edition with ample and useful annotations and suggestions on how to present the content in the student edition and in the ancillary materials. Where applicable, materials include teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning.

ELA lessons and Shared Reading both contain instructional notes and annotations. This is mostly done through the use of first-person teacher think aloud annotations. The ELA lessons provide more notes and suggestions then the Shared Reading lessons. In both parts of the literacy block within the Teacher Manual, sample answers to discussion questions and assigned writing are not included. There are samples that accompany the rubrics and checklists for the overall curriculum in the Teacher’s Manual tab, but they are not provided as support within each lesson. Periodically there are mentions of technology components, such as videos and websites that are integrated or referenced for use during the lesson.

ELA Lesson, Week 3, Day 1 to accompany the text, One Hen by Katie Smith Milway, planning notes before the lesson state, “It would be helpful to have a map of Africa on display to indicate West African places mentioned.”

Shared Reading, Week 15, Day 1 to accompany the text, And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? by Jean Fritz. Introduction teacher notes state, “We are going to read a short biography of Paul Revere written by Jean Fritz. You will notice that she uses many funny details and the illustrations are cartoons. But this is a nonfiction book.”

Shared Reading, Week 31, Day 1 to accompany the text, Ancient Greece by Sandra Newman. Prior to the lesson beginning, the planning notes state, “Try to capture a picture of a local building with columns, a building that may already be familiar to the children.”

Indicator 3g

Materials contain a teacher's edition that contains full, adult-level explanations and examples of the more advanced literacy concepts so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject, as necessary.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria that materials contain a teacher’s edition that contains full, adult-level explanations and examples of the more advanced literacy concepts so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject, as necessary.

The Teacher Manual provides information regarding the research behind the design of the curriculum, rationale on text selection, explanations for differentiated instruction design, and the structure of writing instruction. The Teacher Manual refers to several other texts as the research-based design of the program. Teachers need to read the additional texts to deepen their learning.

“The most important thing to know about Bookworms Reading and Writing from the start is that research informs the design. We began with a small-group multiple entry skills curriculum. That curriculum is included in How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3 Wapole, S., & McKenna, M.C. (2017). How to plan differentiated reading instruction: Strategies for grades K-3 (2nd ed). New York, NY: Guilford Press. and in Differentiated Reading Instruction in Grades 4 and 5: Strategies and Resources Wapole, S., McKenna, M.C., & Phillapakos Z (2011). Differentiated reading instruction in grades 4 & 5: Strategies & Resources. New York, NY: Guilford Press.”

"We drew upon three specific resources, identified below, and each of them is worth consideration as a book study on its own Coker, D. L., & Ritchey, K. D. (2015). Teaching beginning writers. New York, NY: Guilford Press.﻿ Philippakos, Z. A., MacArthur, C. A., & Coker, D. L. (2015). Developing strategic writers through genre instruction: Resources for grades 3-5. New York, NY: Guilford Press.Owocki, G. (2013). The Common Core writing book: Lessons for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.﻿ The first two texts distilled the cognitively-oriented research in writing (most of which was conducted with students with disabilities) and presented that research for a teacher audience and for a wider range of students. The third text includes extensive support for developing the craft of writing.”

“To support teachers to develop their skills in the teaching of writing, we have constructed the lesson plans in first person. Our goal is that you read these plans as if you were watching a master writing teacher teach. Over time, as you build your own skills and see the opportunity for connections and repetitive language, you will be able to make the language your own. At the start, you may want to use the lesson plan language more closely, but you will never be able to simply read it aloud.”

Indicator 3h

Materials contain a teacher's edition that explains the role of the specific ELA/literacy standards in the context of the overall curriculum.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria that materials contain a teacher’s edition that explains the role of the specific ELA/literacy standards in the context of the overall curriculum.

The Teacher Manual includes an explanation of how the ELA/Literacy standards align to the curriculum, and are used within the different parts of the literacy block. However, the curriculum does not provide a scope and sequence to show when the ELA/Literacy standards are taught throughout the year, or correlations to ELA or Shared Reading lessons. The curriculum includes an ELA/Literacy table, and it is up to the teacher to determine which parts of the lesson are connected to each standard.

“We define Shared Reading as teacher-supported grade-level reading, similar in purpose to the whole-group portion of a traditional core program. However, our curriculum is different from a traditional commercial core in three ways: (1) it uses only intact books, and (2) it is calibrated to the Common Core State Standards for text difficulty, and (3) the lesson plans and manual are available for free.”

“The nature of standards influenced by the Common Core State Standards and the high-volume design of Bookworms Reading and Writing interact to produce daily opportunities for addressing multiple standards. We have identified those opportunities for teachers who want to track their work and for those who post standards each day. We have referenced word recognition and decoding standards as they are addressed each week in word study. Fluency standards are referenced in Shared Reading, as are text difficulty standards. Grade level reading literature and informational text standards are referenced daily in Shared Reading and interactive read aloud plans, as are speaking and listening standards. Language standards are referenced during sentence composing. Writing standards are referenced during text-based responses to Shared Reading and during genre-based writing instruction, and then practiced daily in text-based responses. Research standards are marked in our research units.”

Indicator 3i

Materials contain explanations of the instructional approaches of the program and identification of the research-based strategies.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria that materials contain a explanations of the instructional approaches of the program and identification of the research based strategies.

Throughout the Teacher Manual, the Bookworms curriculum provides explanations of the instructional approaches and the research behind the strategies and development of the curriculum. For Shared Reading, ELA Lessons, and Differentiated Instruction, rationales are provided with the titles of the additional texts, and research for teachers to reference for additional information.

ELA Lesson Read-Alouds: “About half of the days, the ELA block uses an engaging book as a means of exposing students to rich language, developing comprehension ability, expanding vocabulary, and building knowledge Santoro, L. E., Chard, D. J., Howard, L., & Baker, S. K. (2008). Making the very most of classroom read-alouds to promote comprehension and vocabulary. The Reading Teacher, 61, 396-408.﻿ Teale, W. H. (2003). Reading aloud to young children as a classroom instructional activity: Insights from research and practice. In A. van Kleeck, A. A. Stahl, & E. B. Bauer (Eds.), On reading books to children: Parents and teachers (pp. 114-139). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.﻿ The practice of reading aloud to students should be a mainstay throughout the elementary years, not just in the primary grades. Their advantages exist well after students have learned to decode Cunningham, A. E. (2005). Vocabulary growth through independent reading and reading aloud to children. In E. H. Hiebert & M. L. Kamil (Eds.), Teaching and learning vocabulary: Bringing research to practice (pp. 45-67). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.﻿”

Writing Instruction: “That approach, like the rest of the program, is informed by research. We drew upon three specific resources, identified below, and each of them is worth consideration as a book study on its own Coker, D. L., & Ritchey, K. D. (2015). Teaching beginning writers. New York, NY: Guilford Press.﻿ Philippakos, Z. A., MacArthur, C. A., & Coker, D. L. (2015). Developing strategic writers through genre instruction: Resources for grades 3-5. New York, NY: Guilford Press.Owocki, G. (2013). The Common Core writing book: Lessons for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.﻿. The first two texts distilled the cognitively-oriented research in writing (most of which was conducted with students with disabilities) and presented that research for a teacher audience and for a wider range of students."

Differentiated Instruction: “Teachers may be familiar with definitions of differentiation that include choices about differentiating products, processes, or content Tomlinson, C. A. (1999). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Our Differentiation block is a type of content differentiation, but it is very different from the guided reading model Fountas, I. C., & Pinnell, G. S. (1996). Guided reading: Good first teaching for all student. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.﻿ that is commonly used for differentiation.”

Indicator 3j

Materials contain strategies for informing all stakeholders, including students, parents, or caregivers about the ELA/literacy program and suggestions for how they can help support student progress and achievement.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria that materials contain strategies for informing all stakeholders, including students, parents or caregivers about the ELA/literacy program and suggestions for how they can help support student progress and achievement.

In the Teacher Manual, there is a section titled, “Family Connections”. This section explains the importance of communicating with families at the beginning of the year to inform them about the design of the curriculum and provide information about word study. The publisher includes two sample letters for teachers to use to communicate with families. In addition, there is a section titled Homework. This section provides an explanation to teachers on the Bookworm philosophy of homework and provides suggestions to teachers about how to design homework. Information about homework for families is not provided.

Criterion 3k - 3n

Materials offer teachers resources and tools to collect ongoing data about student progress on the Standards.

The Evaluation tab in the Teacher Manual, explains how Assessments are used to support teachers in monitoring progress throughout the year. Weekly word study tests and bi-weekly on-demand written responses are used to assess comprehension, and longer writing tasks are used to assess composition and mechanics. Foundational skills assessments, such as an Informal Decoding Inventory, are provided by the publisher to support diagnostic data. Writing assessments assess student competency in narrative, opinion, and informational writing. Standards-based rubrics are included for evaluation of written responses.

Bookworms also recommends the use of additional holistic assessments in reading and writing, including Achieve the Core for on-demand writing tasks and reading mini-assessments. The reading mini-assessments include text-dependent questions and constructed response questions. Bookworms recommends that for each nine-week grading period, schools choose either a writing or reading assessment to track student progress over time.

The publisher does not include an assessment scope and sequence for teachers to see exactly where different assessments fall during the course of instruction. Appendix C shows assessments as it pertains to the Differentiated Instruction part of the literacy block. Assessments during Shared Reading and ELA Lessons are not included in this appendix. Teachers would need to go through each lesson to find where the assessments are located in Shared Reading and ELA Lessons.

Indicator 3l

Indicator 3l.i

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially meet the criteria that assessments clearly denote which standards are being emphasized.

Assessments in the Bookworms Reading and Writing curriculum come from publisher created assessments and holistic assessments from Achieve the Core. Assessments from the publisher do not include clearly denote standards on the assessments. Spelling and word study assessments are listed within a lesson, but they do not include which standards are assessed. Assessments for writing found within the lessons include a table with standards. The writing grading rubrics provided in the Teacher Manual, reference the standards in the explanation of the rubric, but the rubric does not include clearly denoted standards. Holistic assessments from Achieve the Core include clearly denoted standards, and correlations between the questions asked and the standard.

The Bookworms Reading and Writing curriculum provides guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance through the use of rubrics and checklists. However, the curriculum does not include suggestions for follow up with students based on the outcome of the data. The curriculum does not provide guidance for teachers to support students who do not show proficiency, or for students who need extension. Materials provided:

Checklists and Rubrics for Narrative, Opinion, and Informative Writing

Super Sentence Rubric

Writing Response Rubric

Sample Responses for daily formative tasks

Indicator 3m

Materials should include routines and guidance that point out opportunities to monitor student progress.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria that materials should include routines and guidance that point out opportunities to monitor student progress.

Instructional materials provide some routines and guidance to monitor student progress. These include informal checklists, constructed response rubrics, daily writing in response to reading, use of graphic organizers, and daily discussion questions. There are limited sample student responses within the daily lessons. The daily discussion questions and writing in response to reading assignments, do not include sample student responses to help support the teacher in determining if students are meeting the level of expectation as required by the literacy standard and the curriculum. Bookworms provide checklists and rubrics for longer writing assignments. Although it is not explicitly stated, these tools can be used to gather data on student progress in writing. Teacher Manual, Evaluation tab includes the following:

Writing: Provides teachers with checklists for Conventions and rubrics for Narrative, Informational, and Opinion writing.

Speaking and Listening: Provides a speaking and listening checklist where the standards are listed and the teacher can mark “consistently, sometimes, or rarely” for how students demonstrate the speaking and listening standards.

Indicator 3n

Materials indicate how students are accountable for independent reading based on student choice and interest to build stamina, confidence, and motivation.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 3 do not meet the criteria that materials indicate how students are accountable for independent reading based on student choice and interest to build stamina, confidence, and motivation.

The Bookworms Reading and Writing curriculum does not include independent reading or accountability for independent reading as a focus of the curriculum. Self-selected reading is an option, not a requirement, within the Differentiated block. One of the options students can choose during the three 15-minute rotations is self-selected reading. Accountability, stamina, and building motivation towards independent reading are done through student choice to read independently, and from teachers intentionally creating these opportunities. Teachers Manual, Differentiated Instruction tab, section Self-Selected Reading includes the following notes:

“The bookworms we know are not forced to read; they choose to read. For teachers who want to hold students accountable for their choices, we recommend a Book Recommendation board. When students finish reading a book from the classroom library, they can recommend it (or not!) by posting a card on the board.”

“The classroom library should be the source of self-selected reading, and we do not recommend restricting student choices. That means that students will have the experience of selecting books by their own criteria – by author connection, by theme or topic, or by perceived difficulty.”

Criterion 3o - 3r

Materials provide teachers with strategies for meeting the needs of a range of learners so that they demonstrate independent ability with grade-level standards.

Indicator 3o

Materials provide teachers with strategies for meeting the needs of a range of learners so the content is accessible to all learners and supports them in meeting or exceeding the grade-level standards.

The materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially meet the criteria that materials provide teachers with strategies for meeting the needs of range of learners so the content is accessible to all learners and supports them in meeting or exceeding the grade-level standards.

The Teacher Manual includes a document titled “Opportunities”, located in the Evaluation tab. Within this document, teachers are given suggestions for differentiated instruction during Shared Reading and ELA Lessons. The charts and information include suggestions for both intact classrooms and push-in supports for “Weak Readers, English Learners, and Strong Readers”. The suggestions are not specific to daily lessons and provide general guidance for teachers on how they can differentiate instruction in grades 3-5. The charts do not address tiered levels of support with specific information for supporting the range of learners within the context of the lessons. There are no interventions or extensions that connect to literacy standards or content.

Weak Readers Differentiation for Shared Reading: “For students with disabilities (but not for typical students), allow two details in a super sentence.”

English Learners Shared Reading: “Teacher can add additional pictures or realia to support understanding.” “Teacher can add sentence frames to support answers for selected questions.”

English Learners ELA, Interactive Read Aloud: “Teacher can divide the class into groups, with some students completing the response without support and others engaged in shared writing with the teacher. The teacher can also use sentence frames to allow students more challenge over time.”

Strong Readers Shared Reading: “Comprehension is extended through inferential discussion. Pair two high-achieving students together so that they can challenge one another’s evolving comprehension. Look through the day’s questions and reserve an especially difficult one to ask a high-achieving student.”

Indicator 3p

Materials regularly provide all students, including those who read, write, speak, or listen below grade level, or in a language other than English, with extensive opportunities to work with grade level text and meet or exceed grade-level standards.

The materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially meet the criteria that materials regularly provide all students, including those who read, write, speak, or listen below grade level, or in a language other than English, with extensive opportunities to work with grade level text and meet or exceed grade-level standards.

All students are exposed to grade level texts through daily lessons that include read alouds, independent reading, and partner reading. The Teacher Manual includes a document titled “Opportunities,” located in the Evaluation tab. Within this document, teachers are given suggestions for weak readers and English learners. A chart lists the routine from the lesson and the suggested supports. For weak readers, the manual suggests allowing access to assistive technology, parallel teaching Tier II words, and providing additional think time.

The information includes suggestions for both intact classrooms and push-in supports for English Learners. The daily plans for ELA and Shared Reading do not include any specific notes about differentiation or instructional strategies for English Language Learners within the context of the lesson. According the the Teacher Manual, the supports provided in Bookworms may not be enough for “newcomer” English learners, and these students may need basic oral English instruction as a substitute to the ELA or Shared Reading block.

Shared Reading

“Student hears a review of previous content from a peer, in child-friendly language.”

“Initial comprehension is monitored through a brief discussion.”

“Teacher can add additional pictures or realia to support understanding.”

“Teacher can add sentence frames to support answers for selected questions.”

“A summary of the text is always displayed in the classroom, providing opportunity for review.”

“Student can listen and track print rather than read chorally.”

ELA: Interactive Read Aloud

“Teacher can choose to use the text anchor chart for review for some students while others share, with repetition and frame sentences.”

Indicator 3q

The materials reviewed for Grade 3 partially meet the criteria that materials regularly include extensions and/or more advanced opportunities for students who read, write, speak, or listen above grade level.

The “Opportunities” section of the Teacher Manual contains a chart of suggestions for strong readers. Many of the suggestions include pairing two high achieving students together. Frequently throughout the document, the suggested extension support is listed as “none necessary.” Within the daily lesson plans for both ELA and Shared Reading plans do not include guidance for teachers on differentiation or instructional strategies for students that require enrichment. The chart also recommends engaging students to assist in certain components of the lesson such as updating the anchor chart.

Shared Reading

“Ask two high-achieving readers to share their responses with one another, ensuring that both get an additional example of a high-level response.”

“Comprehension is extended through inferential discussion. Pair two high-achieving students together so that they can challenge one another’s evolving comprehension. Look through the day’s questions and reserve an especially difficult one to ask a high-achieving student.”

“Repeated reading deepens comprehension and builds fluency. There is nothing damaging for high achieving students to do this. If you have students who have absolutely no issues with fluency and do not like to read aloud, you might pair them together and ask them to read silently during this time. If a very high-achieving student does enjoy reading aloud, consider pairing that student with a student with a read aloud accommodation; the high achieving student can read to the student who needs that help.”

Differentiation

“These students will be in vocabulary and comprehension groups, so you will already be differentiating the process (to a single silent reading) and the content (by selecting texts). Consider using more information texts targeting unknown, interesting content knowledge rather than using narratives well above grade level unless you are certain that their content is developmentally appropriate.”

“These responses are naturally differentiated. You can keep the task the same and still communicate very high (above grade level) expectations for written work to students who can handle them.”

ELA Lessons

“Teacher writes a brief summary of text meaning every day. Engaging students with especially strong summarizing abilities to help decide what to write provides some additional challenge.”

“Grammar lessons use meaningful selections from text. Teachers provide direct explanation and manipulate sentences visually. Higher achieving students are likely to participate more in these sessions.”

“Students are assigned to work on the day’s task, often in partners, with the support of graphic organizers and checklists. This work is naturally differentiated, but partners can be assigned strategically to link two strong writers.”

Indicator 3r

Materials provide opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies.

The materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria that materials provide opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies.

The materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria that materials provide opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies. The Bookworms Reading and Writing curriculum uses a repetitive approach to routines and instruction. This includes the grouping strategies that are used during instruction. In the ELA Lessons that focus on writing, grouping strategies include students working collaboratively in partners and small groups. ELA Lessons that include an interactive read aloud do not provide specific grouping strategies, other than stating “Engage Students in Discussion”. Shared Reading lessons include rereading with partners and sharing with partners. The Differentiated Instruction block groupings are explained in the Differentiated Instruction section of the Teacher Manual. This section explains how the 45-minute block students would have 15-minutes of time with the teacher and 30-minutes to complete their written responses to Shared Reading and when finished, students could engage in self-selected reading from the classroom library.

ELA Lesson, Week 4, Day 3: Introduction to Informative Writing, “Students will work in partners or small groups around the room with small sets of text. There can be pre-selected groupings of texts or students may be permitted to work with one book at a time, coming up to get a new one once they have finished. Students should have sticky notes or some kind of note-taking document to write down the similarities among the informative texts.”

ELA Lesson, Week 16, Day 4, with the text What is a Biome? by Bobbie Kalman. "Now it’s your turn to ask questions. Think of a really good question about what we’ve read today and ask your partner. You may be able to start with 'What would happen if…'”

Shared Reading, Week 20, Day 4, with the text Susan B. Anthony by Helen Albee Monsell. Students reread with partners and discuss the relationship the girls in the text have with their grandparents.

Criterion 3s - 3v

Materials support effective use of technology to enhance student learning. Digital materials are accessible and available in multiple platforms.

Indicator 3s

Digital materials (either included as supplementary to a textbook or as part of a digital curriculum) are web-based, compatible with multiple Internet browsers (e.g., Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, etc.), "platform neutral" (i.e., are compatible with multiple operating systems such as Windows and Apple and are not proprietary to any single platform), follow universal programming style, and allow the use of tablets and mobile devices.

The materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria that digital materials (either included as supplementary to a textbook or as part of a digital curriculum) are web-based, compatible with multiple internet browsers (eg. Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, etc.), “platform neutral” (ie., Windows and Apple and are not proprietary to any single platform), follow universal programming style, and allow the use of tablets and mobile devices.

The Bookworms Reading and Writing curriculum digital platform is for teacher use only. On the digital platform, teachers will find a Teacher’s Manual which includes information including an overview of the curriculum design, suggested implementation routines, book lists, and grading rubrics. The digital platform also includes the lesson plans for both Shared Reading and ELA Lessons. The lesson plans are written in first-person and provide information for instruction, think alouds, and discussion questions. Assessments and answers to comprehension discussion questions are not available on the digital platform. The digital platform does not include any resources or lessons for Differentiated Instruction and does not include any materials for student access. The Bookworms Reading and Writing curriculum functions efficiently on all internet browsers. Chrome, Safari, and Firefox all launched the digital platform without any difficulty.

Indicator 3t

Materials support effective use of technology to enhance student learning, drawing attention to evidence and texts as appropriate.

The materials reviewed for Grade 3 meet the criteria that materials support effective use of technology to enhance student learning, drawing attention to evidence and texts as appropriate.

Technology and the use of technology is not a focus of the Bookworms Reading and Writing Curriculum. Within the Teacher Manual there is no mention of technology, or the philosophy of how the design of the curriculum uses or supports the use of technology. Although there is no explicit information about technology in the Teacher Manual, technology is included in both Shared Reading and ELA Lessons. Often times it is through a website or video link that teachers are encouraged to use to introduce students to a text, author, or concept. In the research projects, students are encouraged and directed to use technology as a resource for information. It is in the research projects where technology is utilized more frequently in the lessons and by students.

Shared Reading, Week 12, students read Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. Before reading the text, students go to a Scholastic website to explore the setting of the novel and view a brief video introduction from the author, Kate Camillo.

Shared Reading, Week 16, student read And Then What Happened Paul Revere? by Jean Fritz. "Before reading the text, students watch a video on YouTube to get a sense of the time and of Paul Revere’s most famous action, and then we will see how he got there.”

ELA lesson, Week 15, Day 3, students read Map and Globes by Jack Knowlton. Students learn about longitude and latitude by visiting a website to find the coordinates 34 degrees north latitude and 84 degrees west longitude.

ELA lesson, Week 22, Day 5, students learn how to write biographies. To model how to research, the teacher uses a SmartBoard and projector to visit a website and collect information on the subject of their biography.

Indicator 3u

Materials can be easily customized for individual learners.

N/A

Indicator 3u.i

Digital materials include opportunities for teachers to personalize learning for all students, using adaptive or other technological innovations.

The materials reviewed for Grade 3 do not meet the criteria that digital materials include opportunities for teachers to personalize learning for all students, using adaptive or other technological innovations.

The Bookworms Reading and Writing digital curriculum does not have an option for customization within the ELA Lessons and Shared Reading. The digital materials do not have the capability to be adapted, as all texts are accessed by reading full novels and books. The texts are not available to students digitally, and therefore no adaptive technologies are available while reading the texts. Teachers can view the lessons and curriculum, but they are not able to be downloaded and therefore the materials cannot be personalized for differentiation. The use of adaptive or other technologies are not supported in this program.

Indicator 3u.ii

The materials reviewed for Grade 3 do not meet the criteria that materials can be easily customized for local use.

In the Teacher Manual in the section titled “Planning,” the Bookworms Reading and Writing curriculum explains how districts, schools, and teachers should implement the curriculum. It specifically states in this document that “No outside worksheets will fit in this program.” The Teacher Manual also suggests since 36 weeks of instruction are planned, districts and schools would need to map the instructional days onto their own school year calendar in order to figure out how to build time for school or community activities, test preparation, and assessments required outside of the curriculum. It also states in the “Philosophy” section of the Teacher Manual there needs to be daily three- 45 minutes instructional blocks. Schools need to consider the time require for each daily block. “Please do not use Bookworms Reading and Writing unless you make the time.” “It is important for schools to understand the time requirements for Bookworms Reading and Writing and not to expect teachers to implement the lessons in a shortened format.”

Indicator 3v

Materials include or reference technology that provides opportunities for teachers and/or students to collaborate with each other (e.g. websites, discussion groups, webinars, etc.).

The materials reviewed for Grade 3 do not meet the criteria that materials include or reference technology that provides opportunities for teachers and/or students to collaborate with each other (e.g. websites, discussion groups, webinars, etc.)

Integration of technology is limited within the Bookworms Reading and Writing curriculum and typically consists of references and links to videos and websites that can be used for additional information on the topic. There is no evidence of technology that is used to create collaboration within the students or for collaboration with the students and the teachers. The Teacher Manual does not include any specific information regarding the use or integration of technology.

Additional Publication Details

How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Second Edition: Resources for Grades K-3

978-1-462531-51-6

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Open Up Resources

2017

Bookworms Grade 3 Student Workbook, Beta Release: Add On Pack of 5

978-1-64311-035-6

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Open Up Resources

2018

About Publishers Responses

All publishers are invited to provide an orientation to the educator-led team that will be reviewing their materials. The review teams also can ask publishers clarifying questions about their programs throughout the review process.

Once a review is complete, publishers have the opportunity to post a 1,500-word response to the educator report and a 1,500-word document that includes any background information or research on the instructional materials.

Educator-Led Review Teams

Each report found on EdReports.org represents hundreds of hours of work by educator reviewers. Working in teams of 4-5, reviewers use educator-developed review tools, evidence guides, and key documents to thoroughly examine their sets of materials.

After receiving over 25 hours of training on the EdReports.org review tool and process, teams meet weekly over the course of several months to share evidence, come to consensus on scoring, and write the evidence that ultimately is shared on the website.

All team members look at every grade and indicator, ensuring that the entire team considers the program in full. The team lead and calibrator also meet in cross-team PLCs to ensure that the tool is being applied consistently among review teams. Final reports are the result of multiple educators analyzing every page, calibrating all findings, and reaching a unified conclusion.

Rubric Design

The EdReports.org’s rubric supports a sequential review process through three gateways. These gateways reflect the importance of standards alignment to the fundamental design elements of the materials and considers other attributes of high-quality curriculum as recommended by educators.

Advancing Through Gateways

Materials must meet or partially meet expectations for the first set of indicators to move along the process. Gateways 1 and 2 focus on questions of alignment. Are the instructional materials aligned to the standards? Are all standards present and treated with appropriate depth and quality required to support student learning?

Gateway 3 focuses on the question of usability. Are the instructional materials user-friendly for students and educators? Materials must be well designed to facilitate student learning and enhance a teacher’s ability to differentiate and build knowledge within the classroom. In order to be reviewed and attain a rating for usability (Gateway 3), the instructional materials must first meet expectations for alignment (Gateways 1 and 2).

Key Terms Used throughout Review Rubric and Reports

Indicator Specific item that reviewers look for in materials.

Criterion Combination of all of the individual indicators for a single focus area.

Gateway Organizing feature of the evaluation rubric that combines criteria and prioritizes order for sequential review.

Alignment Rating Degree to which materials meet expectations for alignment, including that all standards are present and treated with the appropriate depth to support students in learning the skills and knowledge that they need to be ready for college and career.

Usability Degree to which materials are consistent with effective practices for use and design, teacher planning and learning, assessment, and differentiated instruction.

ELA 3-8 Rubric and Evidence Guides

The ELA review rubrics identify the criteria and indicators for high quality instructional materials. The rubrics support a sequential review process that reflect the importance of alignment to the standards then consider other high-quality attributes of curriculum as recommended by educators.

For ELA, our rubrics evaluate materials based on:

Text Quality and Complexity, and Alignment to Standards with Tasks Grounded in Evidence

Building Knowledge with Texts, Vocabulary, and Tasks

Instructional Supports and Usability

The ELA Evidence Guides complement the rubrics by elaborating details for each indicator including the purpose of the indicator, information on how to collect evidence, guiding questions and discussion prompts, and scoring criteria.

3-8 ELA

The EdReports rubric supports a sequential review process through three gateways. These gateways reflect the importance of alignment to college and career ready standards and considers other attributes of high-quality curriculum, such as usability and design, as recommended by educators.

Materials must meet or partially meet expectations for the first set of indicators (gateway 1) to move to the other gateways.

Gateways 1 and 2 focus on questions of alignment to the standards. Are the instructional materials aligned to the standards? Are all standards present and treated with appropriate depth and quality required to support student learning?

Gateway 3 focuses on the question of usability. Are the instructional materials user-friendly for students and educators? Materials must be well designed to facilitate student learning and enhance a teacher’s ability to differentiate and build knowledge within the classroom.

In order to be reviewed and attain a rating for usability (Gateway 3), the instructional materials must first meet expectations for alignment (Gateways 1 and 2).

Alignment and usability ratings are assigned based on how materials score on a series of criteria and indicators with reviewers providing supporting evidence to determine and substantiate each point awarded.

For ELA and math, alignment ratings represent the degree to which materials meet expectations, partially meet expectations, or do not meet expectations for alignment to college- and career-ready standards, including that all standards are present and treated with the appropriate depth to support students in learning the skills and knowledge that they need to be ready for college and career.

For science, alignment ratings represent the degree to which materials meet expectations, partially meet expectations, or do not meet expectations for alignment to the Next Generation Science Standards, including that all standards are present and treated with the appropriate depth to support students in learning the skills and knowledge that they need to be ready for college and career.

For all content areas, usability ratings represent the degree to which materials meet expectations, partially meet expectations, or do not meet expectations for effective practices (as outlined in the evaluation tool) for use and design, teacher planning and learning, assessment, differentiated instruction, and effective technology use.